Company F, 54 men for duty; Company I, 63 men for duty; total 311. This does not include the garrisons of the various, forts, or the companies which are on provost guard duty.

Yours, very respectfully,

HENRY H. LOCKWOOD,

Brigadier-General.

WASHINGTON, October 9, 1864.

Major-General SHERIDAN, Woodstock, Va.:

General Grant directs me to say that you had better, at all events, retain the Nineteenth Corps, and that the time of sending of the Sixth Corps and a division of cavalry must be left to your judgment. Supplies will continue to be sent by Martinsburg till order otherwise. General Grant directed the opening of the Front Royal road. It is about open to Rectortown. Should you determine not use it for supplies, the work should be discontinued. Mosby's band has troubled the workmen some, but not seriously. He is reported to have about 800 men and four cannon.

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General and Chief of Staff.

STRASBURG, VA., October 9, 1864-12 midnight.

(Received 11th.)

Lieutenant General U. S. GRANT, City Point:

In coming back to this point I was not followed in until late yesterday, when a large force of cavalry appeared in my rear. I then halted the command to offer battle by attacking the enemy. I became satisfied that it was only all the rebel cavalry of the Valley commanded by Rosser, and directed Torbert to attack at daylight this morning and finish this "Savior of the Valley." The attack has handsomely made. Custer, commanding Third Cavalry Division, charged on the Back road, and Merritt, commanding First Cavalry Division, on the Strasburg pike. Merritt captured five pieces of artillery. Custer captured six pieces of artillery, with caissons, battery forge, &c. The two divisions captured thirty-seven wagons, ambulances, &c. Among the wagons captured are the headquarters wagons of Rosser, Lomax, Wickham, and Colonel Pollard [Munford?]. The number of prisoners captured will be about 330. The enemy after being charged by our gallant cavalry were broken, and ran; they were followed by our men on the jump twenty-six miles, through Mount Jackson and across the North Fork of the Shenandoah. I deemed it best to make this delay of one day here and settle this new cavalry general. The eleven pieces of artillery captured to-day make thirty-six pieces captured in the Valley since the 19th of September. Some of the artillery captured was new and never had been fired before. The pieces were marked, "Tredegar Works."

P. H. SHERIDAN,

Major-General.

CIRCULAR.] HEADQUARTERS MIDDLE MILITARY DIVISION,

October 9, 1864.

Corps commanders will, while the command is on the march, immediately after their headquarters have been established, send two couriers