YORKTOWN, VA.,

May 9, 1863-4 p.m.

Major-General BUTTERFIELD,

Headquarters Army of the Potomac:

Your dispatch is just received. General Keyes is at West Point. In answer to your inquiry, I transmit an extract from the report of Colonel Kilpatrick, commanding the Harris Light Cavalry.*

I have received no written report from Colonel Davis of the Twelfth Illinois, but sent his statement of what he accomplished to the headquarters of the army by mail yesterday. It is substantially the same as that published in the Baltimore American of May 7. They destroyed the railroad track and brigades at Ashland and Hanover Station, captured a train of cars loaded with sick and wounded rebels, paroled the prisoners, and destroyed a large amount of Confederate stores, a number of cars, and several depot buildings and warehouses.

Both regiments are now here and in good condition. Their loss was triffling.

RUFUS KING,

Brigadier-General

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.

Numbers 125.
Camp near Falmouth, Va., May 9, 1863.

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V. All signal officers now serving with the various army corps are relieved from duty at the headquarters of such corps, and will report in person to the chief signal officer of this army, to be held in reserve, resupplied, and equipped, and, to be sent when required to such stations as circumstances may demand.

VI. At his own request, Captain S. T. Cushing, Second Infantry, is relieved from further service in the signal department of this army, and will repair to Washington and report for instructions to the chief of his department.

VII. Captain B. F. Fisher, Third Pennsylvania Reserves, is assigned to duty as chief signal officer of this army, and will be obeyed and respected accordingly.

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By command of Major-General Hooker:

S. WILLIAMS,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
SIGNAL DEPT. HDQRS. ARMY OF POTOMAC,

Numbers 16.
May 9, 1863.

The party nnow on signal-telegraph duty will be divided into sets for duty; one set will be assigned to each telegraph train. A set will consist of one commissioned officer, two sergeants, two principal operators, sixteen enlisted men as patrols, train-drivers, &c.

The commanding officer of each train will be responsible for the proper working of the train, and will be careful to keep himself well informed upon all points. He will see that the train is always well prepared for active service; that he has at least 5 miles of wire and 200 poles always

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*Omitted here. See ful report, Part I, p. 1083.

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