HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES,
May 2, 1864.

Brigadier-General BROOKS,

Commanding First Division, Eighteenth Army Corps:

GENERAL; The general commanding directs that all the artillery of your command be at Newport News ready to embark at daylight on Wednesday.

Respectfully, &c.,

N. BOWEN,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. FIRST Brigadier, SECOND DIV., 10TH ARMY CORPS,
West Point, Va., May 2, 1864.

Lieutenant-Colonel FLOYD,

Commanding Third New York Volunteers:

COLONEL: The colonel commanding directs that you will march your command to the front 8 or 10 miles upon the main road, collecting all the information of the enemy possible. You will go in light marching win one day's rations in haversacks, and use the utmost caution, scouring the country thoroughly. In case of an attack you will send immediately to these headquarters, reporting as near as possible the force in your front, and fall back slowly until you join the main body of troops. You will return to camp to-night, and upon your arrived report in person to the colonel commanding.

Very respectfully, yours,

F. W. WEAVER,

Lieutenant and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

GETTY' LINE, May 2, 1864.

Colonel SHAFFER:

Captain Hart had a picket force in his front last evening at Bernard's Mill. he now report the enemy has retired, and he learns from various sources it consisted of a regiment of infantry, Fifth-first Carolina, one regiment of cavalry 600 strong, and a six-gun battery of artillery, commanded by General Clingman. They came from Pickett's division, on the Blackwater, for the purpose of learning the truth of a report that we had evacuated Norfolk and Portsmouth. Mrs. Lenahan four children from Chowan Country, N. C., are at the outposts and want to go Indiana to her friends; is a widow in destitute, and will take the oath. Shall I admit her?

AUGUST V. KAUTZ,

Brigadier-General of Volunteers.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA,
New Berne, N. C., May 2, 1864.

Major R. S. DAVIS,

A. A. G., Hdqrs. Dept. of Va. and N. C., Fortress Monroe:

MAJOR: With regard to keeping open our communication by way of the canal I think there is no good reason why we should give it up yet. Even if the ran is in the sounds our boats ought to be able to run away from it. The fact of her having sunk the South-