HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, March 5, 1865-12 m.

Lieutenant-General GRANT:

Fifteen deserters are reported as coming in last night. They report Mahone's and Grimes' divisions as under marching orders, and some think that two of Mahone's brigades have gone. They state it was reported in their camps that Sheridan occupied Staunton and Charlottesville, and had defeated Early's troops. This last report comes from deserters on the extreme right and left, showing the report existed all through the rebel army. The firing yesterday p.m. was on the Ninth Corps front, the enemy opening when were relieving a battery in one of the works.

GEO. G. MEADE.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARMY CORPS, March 5, 1865. [Received 12.45 p.m.]

Major-General WEBB,
Chief of Staff:

The deserters from Davis' brigade, Heth's division, that came into our lines this morning state that they were ordered to be ready to move yesterday morning an hour before daylight, their pickets having reported that they heard our artillery moving to our left during the night. The deserter from Grimes' brigade [Rodes' old division] reports that their pickets [west side of Hatcher's Run] were under orders to be ready to move at daylight yesterday morning. He states that the division is encamped near Sutherland's Station, having recently moved from the north to the south side of the railroad.

A. A. HUMPHREYS,

Major-General.

HDQRS. ARTILLERY BRIGADE, SECOND ARMY CORPS, March 5, 1865.

Bvt. Major JOHN N. CRAIG,
Asst. Adjt. General Artillery Hdqrs., Army of the Potomac.

MAJOR: I have the honor to report that the batteries of this command occupy the following positions on this date, viz:

Position Battery Guns Commanding

officer

Fort Welch 12tj Mew York Twolight 12- Captain

Battery pounders C. A. Clark

Fort Gregg M, 1st New Four 3-inch Captain George

Hampshire K. Dakin

Artillery

Between Forts 12th New York Twolight 12- Captain C. A.

Sampson and Battery pounders Clark

Gregg

Fort Sampson C and I, 5th Fourlight 12- First

U. S. Artillery pounders Lieutenant

W. B. Beck

Battery A K, 4th do... Lieutenant

U. S. Artillery E. S. Smith

Battery B 11th New York Six 3-inch Captain George

Battery W. Davey

Battery C B, 1st New Twolight 12- Lieutenant E.

Jersey pounders P. Clark

Artillery

Battery D do... do... Do.

In reserve do... do... Do.

Battery E 10th Six 3-inch Lieutenant

Massachusetts J. W.

Battery

Adams

In park B,1st Rhode Six light 12- Bvt. Major T.

Island pounders Fred. Brown

Artillery

In reserve C,4th New York Six Coehorn Lieutenant

Artillery mortars Frank Seymour

Train guards L, 4th New York - Do.

Artillery

Ninth Corps G, 1st New York Six light 12- Captain S. A.

line Artillery pounders

F,1st Six 3-inch McClellan

Pennsylvania Six light 12- Lieutenant

Artillery pounders Wireman

3rd New Jersey do... Lieutenant

Artillery Julius G. Terk

6th Maine Lieutenant

Battery Samuel

Thurston