HEADQUARTERS FORCES IN KANAWHA VALLEY,
Charleston, W. Va., August 24, 1864.

Colonel H. CRAMPTON,

Commanding Post, Fayetteville:

Move all government stores immediately to Camp Piatt. As soon as this is done report with your regiment at Camp Piatt for transportation home. Abandon nothing.

J. C. SULLIVAN,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

CITY POINT, VA., August 25, 1864-2.30 p.m.

(Received 6 p.m.)

Major-General HALLECK,

Washington, D. C.:

Pickett's and Field's divisions are here. You can say this to General Sheridan and that there is no doubt about it. One regiment from each of the four brigades of Pickett's division were detached a couple of weeks ago, and for some time I did not know but that they had gone to the Valley. These regiments are now back.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General

CITY POINT, VA., August 25, 1864-11 a.m.

Major-General SHERIDAN,

Harper's Ferry, Va.:

I have good authority for believing that orders have gone to the Valley for the return of Fitz Lee's cavalry. This is the general talk among the Southern soldiers, and a man sent to Richmond by the provost-marshal learns the same fact. It is also natural that this should be so after the reverse of the enemy's cavalry met with on the evening of the 23rd. Our troops have quietly destroyed the Weldon road, working south, the enemy's cavalry falling back before ours without offering resistance. If this should be so, it will give you a great advantage in harassing the enemy, and probably might send entirely around to his rear, and destroy his trains, supplies, &c.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

HALLTOWN, August 25, 1864-11 p.m.

Lieutenant-General GRANT:

There is not much doubt of the presence here of two divisions of Longstreet's corps, General Anderson commanding. The enemy succeeded this evening in getting Shepherdstown. I do not know wheter they will attempt to cross or not. I ordered two divisions of cavalry to make a reconnaissance this morning on the enemy's flank; they met Breckinridge's corps at Blue Spring or Leetown, marching toward Shepherdstown. Our cavalry skirmished with this corps sharply during the afternoon, with but little loss. The cavalry were forced to give up Shepherdstown, all but one brigade coming back to Halltown;