HDQRS. DEFENSES OF BERMUDA HUNDRED, VA.,
ARMY OF THE JAMES,

December 10, 1864.

Colonel S. B. YEOMAN,

Commanding Brigade:

COLONEL: You will order the Forty-third Regiment U. S. Colored Troops, under command of its senior officer, to march at once, on the receipt of this order, across the James River and report to General Heckman, commanding the Twenty-fifth Corps; headquarters where those of the Eighteenth Corps used to be. They will take their knapsacks, tents, and accouterments with them and leave all baggage to follow in the morning. You will have all this done with the least noise possible-no drums beat, no bugles sounded, and no fires. Every man of the regiment must go, and the utmost dispatch used in getting them off. Send word to these headquarters as soon as they have started.

By order of Bvt. Major General E. Ferrero:

GEO. A. HICKS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. CAVALRY DIVISION, ARMY OF THE JAMES,
December 10, 1864-9.45 a.m.

Brevet Major-General TERRY,

Commanding:

GENERAL: Your order will be complied with. I have, however, been keeping my available men in reserve to move at any moment to any position of the line actually attacked requiring support. There has been no evidence of any force except on the left of my line. The pickets east of Johnson's farm have not been molested. I regard the movement only as a reconnaissance to ascertain whether our lines have been weakened.

Very respectfully, &c

AUGUST V. KAUTZ,

Brigadier-General, Commanding Division.

HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY DIVISION,
December 10, 1864-3 p.m.

Brigadier-General TURNER,

Chief of Staff:

GENERAL: A lieutenant of the Forty-fourth Alabama and a private of the Sixth South Carolina have just been brought in as prisoners from in front of Colonel West's position. They represent that Field's division is there. Colonel West's skirmishers have been driven to his intrenchments. Lieutenant-Colonel Stratton, who is in front of Camp Holly, says he has driven the enemy's skirmishers back into the woods and out of the slashing, which would seem to indicate a disposition of retiring.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

AUGUST V. KAUTZ,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

P. S.-Colonel Evans' skirmishers at the last report were at the edge of Johnson's farm, in sight of the Darbytown road. The rebel line of skirmishers in his front are at Johnson's house, this side of the road.

A. V. K.