neers, will lay out a work on your front to-morrow; you will furnish him the necessary working parties. These details will be made daily until the work is completed along our entire front.,

By command of Major-General Smith:

N. BOWEN,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH CORPS,
May 17, 1864.

Colonel J. W. SHAFFER,

Chief of Staff, Hdqrs. Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina:

COLONEL: In reply to your communication of this evening, I have the honor to state that Colonel Onderdonk and his command are now on duty with this corps. His command, as well as other troops of this corps, were temporarily attached to the Tenth Corps during the late movements,but have never been assigned to that corps to my knowledge.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WM. F. SMITH,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH CORPS,
May 17, 1864.

Brigadier General GODFREY WEITZEL,

Commanding Second Division:

GENERAL: The general commanding department has directed that the works and other defensive arrangements along our front be pushed forward as rapidly as possible. You will please have your details made out to-night, in order that they may set to work early in the morning on the redoubt and on the slashing.

By command of Major-General Smith:

NICOLAS BOWEN.

Assistant Adjutant-General.

P. S.- These details to be made daily till all the defenses are completed.

By command of, &c.:

N. B.,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

CITY POINT, May 17, 1864.

General BUTLER:

Contrabands and refugees report a very small force in Petersburg: not over 1,500 or 2,000 men.

E. W. HINKS,

Brigadier-General.