I would respectfully request to be informed whether their could be others means ways found to communicate with headquarters in case of an alarm here (for instance, rockets), which would not be as expensive ad the probable loss of men, horses, and arms by attempting to run gauntlet to Ford Buffalo. I furthermore respectfully request to be furnished with assistance to complete my stockade and abatis, after which i think we can cope with times our number, but as it is now I have hardly men enough to keep up the original picket-line.

Mr. Cox was here this morning to report the matter to me. As he said, he was coming from Washington, D. C., when two [men] came up to him in his orchard, taking him to be a peddler. He told them he was Mr. Cox, and asked whether they had seen any rebels, thinking them to be U. S. Coldiers. "We are rebels," they replied. "My name is Wren, Mr. Cox. What is the news in Washington?" "Not any, except McClellan's nomination," was Mr. Cox's answer. They then left, and immediately after he heard the sound of horses feet, he judged from a dozen to twenty; then the firing commenced; ceased. Heard another party of about the same strength passing through the road on the north side of his house, galloping toward the Old Church, and then minutes after another party running in the direction.

I had there of my men watching Cox's house since 3 o'clock this morning. They could not learn anything decisive in regard to Mr. Cox and his sons. Wren, the leader of the first party of Mosby's men, has his father living in the neighborhood of Falls Church. Trumbull, who lives on the road to Burke's Station, tells me that Kindrel's men are about also. I think the most of these men are even at present ramming around our neighborhood in the woods. I arrested a man by the name of Kidwell, by orders from your headquarters, charged with giving information to Mosby. I do not know whether he is the right one, as there are more than a dozen Kidwells living around Fairfax Country.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. SCHNEIDER,

Captain, Sixteenth New York Volunteer Cavalry, Comdg. Stockade.

HEADQUARTERS DETACHMENT NINETEENTH ARMY CORPS,
September 1, 1864.

Lieutenant Colonel T. S. BOWERS,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Armies of the United States:

I desire to call the attention of the Lieutenant-General commanding the Armies of the United States to the norms list of absent sick on my report for August 31, 1864, viz, 4,187, and, on the other hand, to the very small number who are present sick, viz, 435, and on this to base a suggestion to the general commanding that the absent sick, most of whom are in the Department of the Gulf, shall be immediately sent North. Our troops have steadily improved in health since they have come North, and I hove no doubt that if those whom we left behind sick were sent to the Northern hospitals we should have in one month an accession to our force from 2,000 to 4,000 men. If allowed to remain in the hospitals of the Department of the Gulf I doubt if one-tenth of that number will ever rejoin their regiments.

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

W. H. EMORY,

Brevet Major-General, Commanding.