This I did in person and explained to him the position occupied by my cavalry. He ordered to return to my command and remain until further orders. At 10.45 a. m. I received the following dispatch:

"HEADQUARTERS FIFTH ARMY CORPS,

"October 28, 1864-10 a. m.

"Major WALSH:

"Withdraw your cavalry after General Egan gets clear of the road. He is going to move from General Meade's headquarters over to the Vaughan road, and follow General Mott's division.

"Respectfully,

"G. K. WARREN,

"Major-General."

This order I complied with to the best of my ability, but the enemy's cavalry coming in in large force on the road leading to the saw-mill from General Hancock's battle-ground drove in the pickets that I had taken the precaution to place there under charge of Captain Majtheny, of the First Indiana Cavalry, causing them to fall back upon the combined reserves of Captains Majtheny and Carter. After checking the advance of the enemy by two well-directed volleys, this reserve fell back across Hatcher's Creek, when I ordered up another company under command of Captain Hess, in the meantime sending word to General Warren notifying him of the approach of the enemy's cavalry. I succeeded in holding the enemy in check for some time, when I was forced back upon the infantry, which I found in line of battle, commanded by General Bartlett and superintended by General Warren in person. i now received verbal instructions from General Warren to report to General Parke as soon as the rear of General Bartlett's brigade had fallen back. This I did as soon as notified by General Bartlett that he had withdrawn his pickets and returned to camp in rear of the Ninth Corps.

J. W. WELSH,

Lieutenant-Colonel Third Pennsylvania Cavalry.

From this time until November 1, 1864, the cavalry remained in camp at these headquarters.

The casualties during the above operations in the cavalry were 1 man and 6 horses wounded.

From July 30 until November 1, 1864, forty safe-guards for houses of resident citizens have been sent out from the Third Pennsylvania Cavalry and four companies of the Sixty-eighth Pennsylvania Volunteers, and three companies of the Third Pennsylvania Cavalry have been sent to City Point performing provost duty at that place and on the mail boats plying between Washington and the Point.

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

M. R. PATRICK,

Provost-Marshall-General, Army of the Potomac.

Brigadier General S. WILLIAMS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Numbers 12. Reports of Major Benjamin F. Fisher, Signal Corps, U. S. Army, Chief Signal Officer, Army of the Potomac, of operations August 1-October 31.

HDQRS. ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, SIGNAL DEPARTMENT,
October 25, 1864.

SIR: *

On the 1st day of August the reports from the various stations indicated some unusual stir upon the part of the enemy. A large number

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*For portion of report (here omitted), covering operations from

July 1 to July 30, 1864, see Vol. XL, Part I, p. 275.

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