HEADQUARTERS FORCES WEST OF PIEDMONT,
RESERVE DIVISION, DEPARTMENT OF WEST VIRGINIA,

Clarksburg, W. Va., August 23, 1864.

Major General B. F. KELLEY,

Cumberland:

GENERAL: The guerrilla parties are represented to be infesting all parts of the country south of this, robbing houses, stores, and stealing horses. A glance at the memorandum of the stations and number of troops in this command will convince you that it is utterly impracticable for me to prevent this, and that the whole line of railroad and country is completely exposed anywhere south and west of Rowlesburg, and that a force of fifty rebels could cut the communications anywhere. A scout of fifty men was sent by your direction from here last week, to be gone ten days, leaving at this important depot only thirty-nine men for duty, and, having a number of prisoners to guard, it is impracticable to do that and picket the approaches to the town. If there is any possible way of relieving the companies of the Eleventh and Sixth Virginia Infantry, now at New Creek and Cumberland, and sending them to this command, I shall be most happy to have it done. Should the enemy drive the troops (say 450 in all) from Beverly there is nothing for them to fall back on, and no assistance could, in all probability, reach us in time to prevent an advance of that enemy on Grafton and Clarksburg.

I have the honor to be, respectfully, your obedient servant,

N. WILKINSON,

Colonel, Commanding.

[Indorsement.]

HEADQUARTERS,
Cumberland, August 26, 1864.

Respectfully returned to Colonel N. Wilkinson, commanding, Clarksburg, W. Va.

It is entirely impossible to dispense with the services of the troops asked for in the locality they are now stationed, but as soon as troops can be had they will be sent as requested.

By order of Brevet Major-General Kelley:

C. A. FREEMAN,

Lieutenant and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

CUMBERLAND, August 23, 1864-11 a.m.

J. B. FORD, Esq.,

Wheeling:

Railroad all right west of North Mountain. Trains run regularly to Hancock. Have sent a scout to-day to Martinsburg, or as near as they can get. Will advise you of the result. The opening of the road entirely depends on Sheridan; it is all right within my district.

B. F. KELLEY,

Brevet Major-General.

MONOCACY, August 23, 1864.

Major General L. WALLACE:

No particular of the fight of Sunday, except we have the enemy's wounded. Everything is very quiet along our lines up as far as Point