NEAR UPPERVILLE, November 6, 1864.

General R. E. LEE,

Commanding Army of Northern Virginia:

GENERAL: The enemy is engaged in removing the rails from the Manassas road for the purpose of reconstructing the purpose of reconstructing the Winchester and Potomac. The latter is already completed to Charlestown, though it is considered doubtful whether they will proceed farther. On the 4th instant Merritt's division of cavalry passed through Charlestown toward Harper's Ferry . Indications are that the larger portion of Sheridan's army will be transferred to Grant's. I returned from the Valley last night and send out to-day twenty-eight cavalrymen captured there. I shall send over another detachment to-day. From the time of their occupation to the abandonment of the Manassas road my command killed and captured about 600 of the enemy, about an equal number of horsed, 10 wagons, &c.; my total loss did not exceed 25. I hope you will not believed the accounts published in the Northern papers and copied in ours of my robbery of the passengers on the railroad train I captured. So fare from that, I strictly enjoined my officers and men that nothing of the kind would be permitted. That a great many of the passengers lost their baggage is true, because the proximity of a considerable force of the enemy allowed us no time to save it, but I explained to the passengers that persons traveling on a military road subjected themselves to the incidents of war. I have sent out a party to plant the torpedoes you sent me.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JNO. S. MOSBY,

Lieutenant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DETACHMENT,
Camp Pettyjohn, Scott County, Va., November 6, 1864.

Major J. STODDARD JOHNSTON,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

MAJOR: I moved my camp from the Many Sinks on the evening before last to this place,leaving Lieutenant-Colonel Prentice in the former locality with his detachment. Up t this time I have killed 1 (Captain Burleson), captured 11, wounded 2 (escaped), and 21 scouters have come in, under the policy adopted by me, and surrendered. I have also sent four families outside of our lines for their bad conduct and destroyed their houses, and expect to send quite a number of others. I have a complete list of all the worst characters in this country, and those of them that I do not kill or capture, or who do not come in and surrender under my amnesty proclamation,* it is my purposed to drive out of our lines and destroy their nests. I would be pleased to know how long the major-general commanding this department expects me to remain in this region of the State. My troops are behaving admirably well, winning the good opinion of all classes. Some of Colonel Prentice's men behaved shamefully on their way to report to of the colonel has been unexceptionable, so far as I know.

Respectfully,

D. HOWARD SMITH,

Colonel, Commanding.

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*See October 26, p.905.

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