officers and send word to Seymour and Wheaton to send forward as soon as possible any deserters that may come in during the night or in the morning.

GEO. G. MEADE,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
December 8, 1864. (Sent 9.55 p. m.)

General A. A. HUMPHREYS,

Commanding Second Corps:

Instructions will at once be given to have any officers belonging to the Fifth Corps that may be at the Yellow Tavern report to General Mils for duty with the Fifth Corps stragglers, as requested by you.

S. WILLIAMS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

CONFIDENTIAL CIRCULAR.] HDQRS. SECOND ARMY CORPS,

December 8, 1864.

1. In the event of a movement, the intrenched lines held by the troops of the Second Corps will be under the command of Colonel M. Murphy, Sixty-ninth New York National Guard, commanding Second Brigade, Second Division, who should establish his headquarters convenient to present corps headquarters.

2. The intrenched lines held by the troops of the Sixth Corps will be under the command of Brigadier-General Seymour, whose headquarters should be established at or near the Yellow Tavern.

3. The troops of the Sixth Corps that move will be under the command of Brigadier-General Wheaton, to whom General Seymour will transfer the troops of his division that march upon his receiving the order of movement. General Wheaton will then consolidate his command as far as practicable.

4. In the event of movement, the commander of the artillery of the Second Corps lines, Captain A. J. Clark, First New Jersey Artillery, will report to Colonel Murphy, and the commander of the artillery of the lines of the Sixth Corps will report to Brigadier-General Seymour.

5. The command of all the intrenched lines of the army will, by order from headquarters of the army, be under the command of Major-General Parke, to whom the commander of the Second Corps lines will communicate by telegraph from present headquarters Second Corps. The commander of the Sixth Corps lines will communicate with him by telegraph from the Yellow Tavern, formerly headquarters Fifth Corps.

6. By orders from headquarters Army of the Potomac, the reserves of the Ninth Corps will be attached to the command of Major-General Humphreys, commanding Second Corps. In the event of a movement, they will be immediately commanded by Brevet Major-General Potter, who will consolidate them as far as practicable.

By order of Major-General Humphreys:

September CARNCROSS,

Major and Assistant Adjutant-General.