HEADQUARTERS,
May 18, 1864.

Major-General SMITH:

It appears impossible to get teams for ammunition. Tenth Corps reports 169 wagons in their corps. There are 400 in department. Have you not more than you need to get along with? Certainly you have much larger number in proportion than Tenth Corps. Captain Mordecai wants twenty more very much.

J. W. SHAFFER,

Colonel and Chief of Staff.

HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
May 18, 1864.

Brigadier-General BROOKS,

Commanding First Division:

GENERAL: The commanding general directs that a strong picket reserve be stationed at each point along your front which may be at all open to the approach to the enemy. You will also please see that a proper connection is made with General Ames' pickets, so that there may be no weak point left unguarded along our front.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

N. BOWEN,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
May 18, 1864.

Brigadier-General WEITZEL,

Commanding Second Division:

GENERAL: The commanding general directs that a strong picket reserve be stationed at each point along your front which is at all open to the enemy's approach and to have a heavy picket along the flat near the mouth of the creek, which picket may be diminished in the daytime.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

N. BOWEN,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

MAY 18, 1864.

Lieutenant-Colonel BOWEN,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

SIR: The pickets ordered this a.m. proceeded down the Port Walthall Junction road to the left of the work on Foster's plantation, from where a patrol was sent, out, and found the enemy's line of skirmishers at the corner of the woods near where the road forks. Consequently, it is impossible to patrol to the open country through the woods. A line of battle was observed in that direction this a m. The bearer commanded the patrol and can give fuller details.

C. S. MASTEN,

Captain First Mounted Rifles, Commanding Company.