HEADQUARTERS MIDDLE MILITARY DIVISION,
Harrisonburg, Va., October 2, 1864.

Brigadier-General STEVENSON,

Commanding District of Harper's Ferry:

GENERAL: The major-general commanding directs that your order Colonel Currie's brigade, Nineteenth Corps, to proceed at once to Winchester, and remain there until the arrival of the first train coming here, when they will join and escort it to this point, or wherever the command may be.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

C. KINGSBURY, JR.,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

MARTINSBURG, October 2, 1864.

(Received 12.30 p. m.)

Major-General HALLECK,

Chief of Staff:

Information from the front up to Wednesday morning places Sheridans' army at Port Republic and Mount Crawford. The enemy's infantry held Brown's Gap. Our cavalry was driven out of Staunton, which is now occupied by the enemy. I sent 250 wagons to General Sheridan yesterday; will send another train to-morrow. Everything safe on the road.

T. H. NEILL,

Brigadier-General.

(Same to Brigadier-General Stevenson.)

HEADQUARTERS POST,
Winchester, October 2, 1864.

Brigadier General T. H. NEILL,

Commanding Post, Martinsburg:

GENERAL: The train that left Martinsburg yesterday arrived here last night. I have no forces here to escort it to the front, except about 400 cavalry (and 100 of these cannot be relied on); also some straggling infantry, without organization, numbering 300 men. I have detained the train here on account of insufficiency in men to properly guard it. A train of its size to go through the country which it has to should have an escort of at least 2,000 men with it. Captain Blazer, of the Independent scouts, comes in this morning and reports Mosby's command hovering in the neighborhood of Newtown; that the citizens along the route are all aware that a train is going through to-day; and that the Seventh Virginia Cavalry (rebel) are in the vicinity of Woodstock, three of his men having been captured and paroled, their papers signed by an officer of that regiment. What disposition does General Sheridan intend to make of the force at Harper's Ferry, Colonel Currie's brigade, of the Nineteenth Corps, and General Kenly's troops? They are certainly needed here for escort duty. There are undoubtedly 2,000 armed stragglers from Early's army beyond Fisher's Hill, organized, with a rebel colonel at their head. No escort with dispatches can get through with less than 500 good cavalry. Immediate action is positively necessary. The road from here to Martinsburg is comparatively