CULPEPER, January 17, 1864.

Lieutenant Colonel C. ROSS SMITH,

Chief of Staff, Cavalry Corps:

My pickets at Somerville Ford report increased firing of the enemy's pickets and more camp-fires of the enemy near Rapidan Station. I have ordered increased vigilance on that front and for the patrols and scouts on the right to move out. Will forward any information of any event that this demonstration may be intended to mask.

W. MERRITT,

Brigadier-General.

FAIRFAX COURT-HOUSE, January 17, 1864.

Colonel J. H. TAYLOR,

Chief of Staff and Assistant Adjutant-General:

The detachment of cavalry sent to Wolf Run Shoals and Dumfries returned last night, bringing in one prisoner from the Ninth Virginia Infantry. Another detachment sent out day before yesterday returned last night, having scouted as far as Goose Creek an found everything quiet. Some of General Kelley's men are reported to have been at Leesburg.

R. O. TYLER,

Brigadier-General, Commanding Division.

FAIRFAX COURT-HOUSE, January 17, 1864.

Lieutenant Colonel J. H. TAYLOR,

Chief of Staff:

The cavalry ordered the day before yesterday to Leesburg and Snickersville and to return by way of Upperville returned to camp at 2 o'clock this a. m., bringing in 1 prisoner from Mosby's command. Colonel Lowell reports all quiet in this vicinity.

Respectfully,

R. O. TYLER,

Brigadier-General.

HDQRS. SECOND Brigadier, SECOND DIV., DEPT. OF W. VA.,
Petersburg, W. Va., January 17, 1864.

Lieutenant M. J. RUSSELL,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, Second Division:

LIEUTENANT: I beg leave to draw your attention to the transportation of supplies from New Creek Station to this place. With the breaking up the present cold weather the roads will become almost impassable with mud. This is the concurrent testimony of all the responsible citizens of this vicinity and was talked of before you left here last fall, when to obviate the difficulty it was proposed to lay in a supply of subsistence and forage while the roads were good that would last us through the seasons of bad roads. But instead of getting ahead in supplies with roads in good condition we have failed to receive a full supply. We have supplied ourselves with a large amount of forage from this neighborhood, yet withal our men and horses have had to be brought down to two-thirds rations, and if we