having been sent to General Dix in the morning. An order from the Secretary of War renders it necessary that the troops from the Armies of the James and Potomac should be returned without delay.

GEO. H. GORDON,

Brigadier-General and Chief of Staff.

KERNSTOWN, November 12, 1864-10 p. m.

(Received 7 p. m. 13th.)

Lieutenant General U. S. GRANT,

Commanding U. S. Armies, City Point, Va.:

Yesterday evening the enemy's cavalry made a demonstration on my front south of Newtown, and my scouts reported a large infantry force having moved down the pike to Middletown with the intention of attacking. This morning I had everything ready, but no attack was made. About 1 p. m. I moved Custer's division of cavalry up the Back road and the Middle road. Pennington's brigade met two brigades of Rosser's cavalry on the Back road, charged them, and drove them at a run four of five miles and across Cedar Creek, capturing some prisoners. While this was going on General Powell moved on the Front Royal pike and thence toward Middletown. At nineveh he met Lomax's cavalry, increased by what is called John Morgan's cavalry, charged it, capturing all of Lomax'a artillery (two pieces), with caissons, horses, artillerymen, &c., and his ammunition train, and ran his cavalry up the Luray Valley for a distance of eight or nine miles. One brigade of Merritt's division moved up the pike late this evening, but nothing important occurred. Colonel Dudley's brigade, of the Nineteenth Corps, moved out to demonstrate in this cavalry movement; also some sharpshooters of the Sixth Corps. Our losses are very slight. I have to regret the loss of Colonel Hull, of Pennington's brigade, who was killed while gallantly leading a charge. Powell captured 14 commissioned officers, 200 privates, and 2 battle-flanks, killed several officers, and brought in 35 wounded. As yet I have seen no infantry, and think the report of the scouts untruthful.

P. H. SHERIDAN,

Major-General.

NEAR WINCHESTER, VA., November 12, 1864.

Colonel C. B. COMSTOCK,

Chief of Staff to Lieutenant-General Grant:

COLONEL: As the season for active operations at the North will soon virtually close, I beg to submit to you a few points, enforced upon my attention while serving in the Department of the South as chief of staff to Major-General Hunter, and that may be worthy, perhaps, of laying before the lieutenant-general:

First. Our armies are operating, of necessity, upon exterior lines. The rebels occupy a line from Georgia to Virginia, an army at each extremity, with but two lines of communication between them. When beaten at these extremities they will naturally fall back upon some intermediate point, and (if resistant to the last moment of despair) still maintain their present and prospective advantages of interior lines.

Second. These lines of communication approach the coast at Branchville, S. C., within striking and readily accessible range. By placing