HEADQUARTERS THIRD CAVALRY DIVISION,
September 20, 1864-7 p. m.

Lieutenant-Colonel PURINGTON,

Commanding First Brigade:

COLONEL: You will post a picket of two commissioned officers and forty men on the road leading from these headquarters to Middletown, the commissioned officers to report for further instructions. You will pleas hurry up this detail as much as possible.

By command of Brigadier-General Wilson:

L. SIEBERT,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS THIRD CAVALRY DIVISION,
Cedarville, Va., September 20, 1864-4 p. m.

Brigadier-General CHAPMAN,

Commanding Second Brigade:

Please direct a small force to move out between the two rivers and watch for movements of the enemy's cavalry toward Strasburg. General Sheridan will attack the enemy at Round Top and Fisher's Hill. Merritt is at Strasburg watching the enemy; Averell is to the right, and we shall probably attack the cavalry at Front Royal to-night or very early in the morning. I am very anxious to be apprised of any movement from there.

Very respectfully,

J. H. WILSON,

Brigadier-General.

WARE DEPARTMENT,

Washington, D. C., September 20, 1864-7.25 a. m.

General STEVENSON,

Harper's Ferry:

Have you nothing later from the front than 1 o'clock yesterday? That is the latest received here. If you sent out scouts, what has become of them?

EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

HARPER'S FERRY, September 20, 1864-7.40 a. m.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

Just heard from front. Sheridan has defeated enemy heavily, killing and wounding 5,000 of enemy, capturing 2,500 prisoners, 5 pieces of artillery, and 5 battle-flags. Rebel Generals Gordon and Rodes killed, York wounded. Our loss about 2,000. General Russel, of the Sixth Corps, killed; General McIntosh lost leg. Enemy escaped up Valey under cover of night. Sheridan in Winchester.

JNO. D. STEVENSON,

Brigadier-General.