HDQRS. PROVISIONAL DIVISION, ARMY OF THE JAMES,
STEAMER UNITED STATES,

Sandy Hook, November 6, 1864.

Captain ----,

Assistant Adjutant-General, & c.:

SIR: I have the honor to report to Major-General Butler as follows: On the night of Wednesday, the 2nd instant, I received orders to move my brigade immediately (Second Brigade, First Division, Tenth Corps), with its baggage, to Deep Bottom, there to take command also of certain forces from the Eighteenth Corps, and to embark for New York and report to Major-General Butler. Two batteries, each of six light 12's - Battery M, First U. S. Artillery (Captain Langdon), and Fourth New Jersey (Captain Doane) - were sent to Bermuda Landing, to report to me. All the forces were at their destination at or before sunrise on the morning of Thursday, November 3, but it was about 2.30 p. m. when the first transport arrived, and 12 at night of the 3rd when the last came. I was told that sea going vessels would be furnished Captain Langdon, of the artillery, without further care on my part. I furnished him, as well as the senior officer of each transport, with sealed instructions, of which I inclose a copy. My infantry transports were not sea-going, and some, it being a stormy day, were scarcely safe on the river. At Fortress Monroe I met Colonel Babcock, of Lieutenant-General Grant's staff, who had instructions to aid me. It was necessary to go to Craney Island to transfer the troops.

Without detailing the vexatious delays I report that the General Lyon - 1,005 troops, Colonel Rockwell, Sixth Connecticut, commanding - left Hampton Roads about 8 p. m. Friday, the 4th; the United States - 960, Colonel Abbott, Seventh New Hampshire, commanding (myself and staff on board) - and the Constitution - 750 troops, Lieutenant-Colonel Raulston, Eighty-first New York, commanding - about 8 a. m. on the 5th. The Thorn - 380 troops, Lieutenant-Colonel Barney, Ninth Vermont, commanding - I ordered to sail at 9 or 10 p. m. on the 4th, but I learned since that she had to coal. I suppose she left on the morning of the 5th. These comprise all the infantry transports. All the horses of the infantry were taken ashore at Fort Monroe to be put on the Star of the South. She was having stalls fitted on the night of the 4th, and ought to have sailed on the morning of the 5th. I left a quartermaster, Lieutenant Parsons, Tenth Connecticut, in charge, and Colonel Babcock intended to stay at Fort Monroe until all my forces had started. She will bring about seventy-five men of the One hundred and twelfth New York. Such of the artillery transports as carried horses were under the necessity of going to Norfolk to have stalls fitted. All these matters Colonel Babcock is supervising, and Colonel Webster and his subordinates manifest zeal and activity in assisting.

The aggregate infantry force (selected from two divisions of the Tenth and two divisions of the Eighteenth Corps) is about 3,065; effective rifles, about 2,650, of which over 500 are Spencer rifles or carbines; artillery, two batteries (twelve guns), light 12's, with 128 assorted rounds per gun. I brought no ammunition (under the advice of Brevet Major-General Terry), save 50,000 rounds for the Spencer carbines. (All the troops have sixty rounds in the cartridge box.) Arrangements should be immediately made for bringing here some more Spencer ammunition. The troops will all be out of rations to-night.