SPECIAL ORDERS, HDQRS. MIDDLE MILITARY DIVISION, No. 51.
October 10, 1864.

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6. Brigadier General James D. Fessenden, U. S. Volunteers, having reported at these headquarters, in compliance with orders from the War Department, will report for assignment to duty to Brevet Major-General Emory, commanding Nineteenth Corps.

7. Lieutenant Edward Myers, First U. S. Cavalry, and acting aide-de-camp to Brigadier-General Merritt, will proceed to Washington, D. C., with flags captured from the enemy in the engagement of the 9th instant. This duty being accomplished he will at once rejoin his proper command.

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By command of Major-General Sheridan:

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

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF WASHINGTON,

Rectortown, Va., October 10, 1864-8 a.m.

(Received 1.40 p.m.)

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

Chief of Staff:

An officer from General Sheridan's command arrived here at 1 a.m. this morning. He left Front Royal (near which his division of cavalry-Powell's-is stationed) at 3 p.m. yesterday. He reports General Sheridan's command at Strasburg, with the enemy close upon him, and that there is constant skirmishing. The officer returned to General Sheridan early this morning with the dispatch in cipher received yesterday. He reports the railroad as entirely destroyed from Piedmont to Front Royal. The railroad is now completed to Piedmont. The construction superintendent says it will take eight days to complete it to Front Royal.

C. C. AUGUR,

Major-General.

WASHINGTON, October 10, 1864.-11.04 a.m.

Major-General AUGUR,

Salem or Rectortown, Va.:

You are the judge of what and how many troops can be taken from Washington to re-enforce the line of the railroad. General Sheridan has been asked to send troops Manassas Gap to meet yours, but I cannot tell when he will be able to do so.

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General and Chief of Staff.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF WASHINGTON,

Rectortown, October 10, 1864-9 p.m. (Received 11.30 p.m.)

Major-General HALLECK,

Chief of Staff:

I shall commence to-morrow building small stockades which will be so near each other as to command the entire track. This will economize