or other armed force of the enemy, and will make all required reports direct to these headquarters. You will scout daily the country on the west side of the South Branch to Springfield and the Wire Brigade, and occasionally to Romney, W. Va. Captain T. W. Kelly, Company M, Second Maryland Cavalry, who occupies the station at the mount of the South Branch with his command, will keep the east side of the river well scouted and will be in constant communication with you. Citizens and other from virginia will not, for the present, be allowed to enter within the line of your picket and all intercourse with and crossing to and from maryland is strictly forbidden except upon authority from these headquarters. In order to guard more effectually against surprise you will turn out your command under arms at daylight at all times.

By order of Brevet Major-General Kelley:

C. A. FREEMAN,

Lieutenant and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

WASHINGTON, November 26, 1864.

Major-General SHERIDAN:

I understood from General Grant, when here on the 23rd, taht he did not intend to order away the Sixth Corps so long as you thought it should be retained in the Valley. It seems to me that before any cavalry is sent away Mosby's band should be broken up, as he is continually threatening our lines.

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General and Chief of Staff.

HEADQUARTERS MIDDLE MILITARY DIVISION,
Kernstown, Va., November 26, 1864. (Received 7.25 p. m.)

Major-General HALLECK,

Chief of Staff:

Major-General Couch has been writing and telegraphing to me of expected guerrilla raids in the Cumberland Valley. This is all gotten up by parties interested in the branch railroad at Hagerstown. Since the opening of the Winchester road they think there will be no troops stationed at Hagerstown or its vicinity, and consequently a pecuniary loss to them. I believe this to be the cause of this excitement.

P. H. SHERIDAN,

Major-General.

KERNSTOWN, VA., November 26, 1864-7 p. m.

(Received 7.30 p. m.)

Major General H, W. HALLECK,

Chief of Staff:

I will soon commence work on Mosby. Heretofore I have made no attempt to break him up, as I would have employed ten men to his one, and for the reason that I have made a scape-goat of him for the destruction of private rights. Now there is going to be an intense hatred of him in that portion of this Valley which a nearly a desert. I will