from Romney yesterday, and will then move to Winchester. Strong scouting parties have been sent out to- day. The reports of those sent out yesterday morning have not come in yet. Please send all dispatches to Martinsburg.

FRANZ SIGEL,

Major- General.

HDQRS. SIGNAL DETACHMENT, DEPT. OF WEST VIRGINIA,
Martisburg, W. Va., April 30, 1864.

Captain H. S. TAFFT,

Signal Corps, U. S. Army, Washington, D. C.:

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of operations of this detachment during the month of April, 1864:

Until the 29th of the month headquarters of the detachment were at Cumberland, Md., at which point I had established a camp of instruction.

On the last day of March the detachment consisted of 4 officers and 45 enlisted men. During this month the following additions have been made to it, viz: April 5, 1 officer reported; 14th, 1 officer reported; 15th, 3 officers reported; 17th, 2 officers reported; 21st, 1 officer reported, and 25th, 1 officer reported; total 9. These officers were detailed as acting signal officers by special orders from department headquarters,in compliance with suggestions of a communication stating the necessity which existed for them, approved at office of the Chief Signal Officer, Washington, D. C.

On the 22nd, Sergeant Knapp reported with 53 enlisted men from Camp of Instruction at Georgetown, D. C., and on the 26th an officer turned over to me a descriptive roll of 63 enlisted men, ordered from Department of the Susquehanna by special orders from Adjutant- General's Office, Washington, D. C. One of the names was added by mistake, making the correct number 62; total, 116. Four of these from Department of the Susquehanna are absent on furlough; the others have all reported.

Thus the aggregate force at this time is 13 officers and 161 enlisted men. The officers and men were drilled constantly, under direction of Lieutenant M. C. F. Denicke, until the party was ordered into the field. On the 25th, Lieutenant Denicke, was injured by being thrown from a horse, so as to render him unable to go into the field for some time. There has been great difficulty in obtaining horses, and when my requisitions as now approved are filled, which will be soon, there will be 98 of the men mounted; the others it will be impossible to count for some time.

On the 29th, I received telegraphic orders from Major- General Sigel, who was at Martinsburg, W. Va., to report to him with my party at that place,sending the mounted men by Williamsport and Falling Waters pike and the dismounted party by rail. Accordingly I broke camp that day, and on the morning of te 30th started the marching party at daybreak, under command of Lieutenant D. N. Jones, assisted by Lieutenants Fortney and Brault, all of them newly detailed officers, and brought the remainder of the party by railroad, reaching Martinsburg that afternoon. The marching party should reach Martinsburg on the 2nd of May, and immediately upon their arrival I shall put them into the field, as well as possible, still continuing to drill both officers and men. All the stations herto-