HEADQUARTERS NINTH ARMY CORPS, December 11, 1864-6.30 p.m.

General H. W. BENHAM,
Commanding Reserves, &c.:

GENERAL: Will you please have a force, say from 300 to 350 men, sent over to the left to take position as a reserve to the line in the vicinity of Fort Sedgwick. They are to take the place of some of my troops that have gone with General Potter. Colonel Pleasants, Forty-eighth Pennsylvania, in command of Fort Sedgwick, knows the ground, and will post you troops. Will you please direct the commanding officer that in case of an emergency he is to receive orders from Colonel Pleasants without waiting for orders from our headquarters or mine. Captain Parke, my aide, will notify Colonel Pleasants, so that the command can be guided to its position without delay.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JNumbers G. PARKE,

Major-General.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. 3rd Brigadier, 1ST DIV., 9TH A. C.,

No. 6. December 11, 1864.

I. The troops, both officers and men, in the trenches will stand to arms, with equipments on, at 5 a.m., and remain in line till half an hour after daylight. The same trench guards heretofore established by General Orders, No. 5, from headquarters, current series, will be continued and will remain constantly awake in the trenches. Two sentinels will be posted on the regimental fronts, and will keep constantly on the lookout for the enemy and prevent the destruction of the palisades, abatis, and revetment of the works.

II. The artillery garrison of Forts Haskell and Stedman and Batteries 10, 11, and 12 will stand to their pieces at 5 a.m., and will remain on the alert till half an hour after daylight.

III. The brigade officer of the day will inspect and report if this orders is complied with.

IV. The brigade office of the day will visit the picket-line on the relief of the old picket, see that the picket-line is properly posted, well connected throughout it extent, and to the right and left. He will inspect the line between 1 and 4 a.m., will make a written report of the condition of the lines and works when relieved, mentioning any lack of vigilance on the part of officer or men. One man on each picket-post will be constantly on the lookout, and all the men will have their equipments on at all times, and will stand to arms at the same time as the troops in the trenches.

By command of Bvt. Brigadier General N. B. McLaughlen:

T. W. CLARKE,

Captain and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. SECOND DIVISION, NINTH ARMY CORPS,
Freeman's Plantation, near Freeman's Bridge, December 11, 1864-5.30 a.m.

Brigadier General S. WILLIAMS,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Army of the Potomac:

GENERAL: I have the honor to report that all of my forces, except the cavalry, were in bivouac at or near this point before 5 a.m. I have