of the disposition of their picket details. Three hundred men from each brigade will perform its picket duty. The picket-line will be established, as directed, on the morning of the 16th.

By command of Brevet Major-General Gregg:

A. H. BIBBER,

Captain and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE JAMES, December 15, 1864.

Brigadier-General RAWLINS:

General Ferrero, commanding Bermuda Defenses, reports his command very weak. His men have to go on picket duty every other night. Can the Twenty-eight U. S. Colored, belonging to his command, and now at City Point, be ordered to him?

E. O. C. ORD,
Major-General, Commanding.

CITY POINT, VA., December 15, 1864.

Major-General ORD,

Commanding Army of the James:

The Twenty-eighth U. S. Colored Troops is very much needed here just now. It may be two weeks before they can be relieved, but as soon as they can be relieved they will be sent to join their division.

JNO. A. RAWLINS,

Brigadier-General and Chief of Staff.

HEADQUARTERS TWENTY-FOURTH ARMY CORPS, ARMY OF THE JAMES,
December 15, 1864-11.57 a.m.

Brigadier General J. W. TURNER,

Chief of Staff:

The signal officer from Signal Hill sends the following:

There has been picket-firing in our front, and our dismounted cavalry are formed behind the breast-works in order.

The corps officer of the day reported slight skirmishing on the Johnson plantation about 5 o'clock this morning by the cavalry. Thinks it was nothing but an attempt to resume a position from which the vedettes had retired during the night and which the enemy were disposed to contest.

THEODORE READ,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS TWENTY-FOURTH ARMY CORPS, In the Field, Va.,
December 15, 1864.

Brigadier-General FOSTER,

First Division:

GENERAL: I am directed by the brevet major-general commanding the corps to direct your attention to an irregularity in the manner in which picket duty is performed on your division front. To the right of