This statement was made by R. L. Shelley. I wish to say that it is incorrect, and that this correspondent was arrested by my order on a previous occasion for writing untruthful accounts.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

P . H. SHERIDAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

(Copy to Major-General Emory.)

CITY POINT, VA., September 26, 1864-6.30 p. m. (Received 9.20 p. m.)

Major-General SHERIDAN,

Woodstock, Va.:

Lee has sent no troops from here since your first victory, except two regiments and one city battalion to Lynchburg. This, I think, is reliable. Your victory have created the greatest consternation. If you can possibly subsist your army to the front for a few days more, do it, and make a great effort to destroy the roads about Charlottesville and the canal wherever your cavalry can reach it.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. MIDDLE MILITARY DIVISION, No. 42.
September 26, 1864.

1. Brigadier General G. A. Custer, U. S. Volunteers, is hereby assigned to the command of the Second Cavalry Division, Army of West Virginia.

* * * *

By command of Major-General Sheridan:

C. KINGSBURY, JR.,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

CAMP STONEMAN, September 26, 1864.

Captain L. L. BARNEY,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General:

CAPTAIN: I have the honor of making of following statement to you in regard to Major Fry and the party of officers who left Camp Stoneman under his command with a detachment of cavalry for the front, September 15:

We reached General Sheridan's headquarters near Strasburg September 21 and turned over our command. The major said to us that an escort was going on to Washington with the captured colors, and we would return to Winchester and there await its coming. Major Fry, Captain Brown, Lieutenants Stone, Gilman, McIntire, and Pressey returned to Winchester; I became separated from the party in Winchester, but saw the escort come into town, and reported to the commanding officer. He requested me to look my party up, as he said they were to start in half an hour. I tried to find them, but could not. I find, on getting down to Harper's Ferry, that Major Fry, Captain N. H. Brown, Lieuts. F. P. Stone, G. E. Gilman, and George H. Pressey, hearing the escort had passed through Winchester by the Martinsburg road, galloped on (as they supposed) after them, and about five miles

12 R R-VOL XLIII, PT II