CONFIDENTIAL.] HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,

December 8, 1864.

Major General A. A. HUMPHREYS,

Commanding Second Corps:

SIR: I am directed by the commanding general to inform you that Colonel Kerwin, Thirteen Pennsylvania Cavalry, with about 800 men has been directed to move at once down the Vaughan road to the intersection of that road with the Halifax road for the purpose of ascertaining, if possible, from that point whether the enemy is following up General Warren's movement.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

S. WILLIAMS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
December 8, 1864-7.45 p. m. (Sent 8.20 p. m.)

Major General A. A. HUMPHREYS,

Commanding Second Corps:

Eight hundred and fifty-one stragglers from General Warren's command have just been brought in. Three hundred and ninety-nine of these men are from Mott's division, Second Corps, and 452 from the Fifth Corps. All are now being sent to your headquarters, and the commanding general desires that you will make such use of the men as you may think best. He suggests that as a punishment it might be well to place them in the trenches to relieve some of your troops from that duty.

S. WILLIAMS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARMY CORPS,
December 8, 1864. (Received 9.40 p. m.)

General WILLIAMS,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

I understand that a number of officers of the Fifth Corps came into the army to-night and are at the Yellow House. I respectfully request that they may be ordered to report to Brigadier-General Miles, commanding First Division, Second Corps, for duty with the stragglers from the Fifth Corps.

A. A. HUMPHREYS,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
December 8, 1864-9.30 p. m.

Major-General HUMPHREYS:

The cavalry reached the Vaughan road crossing of Hatcher's Run just before dark and found it guarded by Young's brigade. After losing some five or six men wounded they returned. I will send them out again at daylight to-morrow to try the Halifax road crossing, and if that is guarded and cannot be forced to go on to Stony Creek, but I fear the enemy will be too strong for them. I wish you would caution your sub-ordinate