HEADQUARTERS FIFTH ARMY CORPS,
September 3, 1864.

General HUMPHREYS,

Chief of Staff:

While in my present position I deem it necessary that I should have and additional force of cavalry under my direct command of at least 200 men. Genera. Gregg is distant from me, and only pickets from the railroad around to the eastward, and I continually wish information from the west and southwest. I got no information the other day when the enemy's cavalry drove out pickets in before the enemy himself appeared, and if our cavalry pickets should be driven in there by a line of battle of infantry I should have no notice at all. My escort amounts to only fifty, and this for patrolling, provost duty, &c., within the lines give me nothing to send out.

Respectfully,

G. K. WARREN,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
September 3, 1864.

Major-General WARREN,

Commanding Fifth Corps:

General Gregg has been directed to send the detachment of 200 cavalry asked for by you.

A. A. HUMPHREYS,

Major-General and Chief of Staff.

HEADQUARTERS FIFTH ARMY CORPS,
September 3, 1864.

Major DUANE,

Engineer Corps:

Your fort on the road north of my headquarters has the defects on its north and south fronts that I cautioned you against. The flank angle is in the prolongation of the interior crest of the face of the bastion that flank is made for. It should have been on the prolongation that flank is made for. It should have been on the prolongation of the exterior crest or between that and the prolongation of the scarp. By your present arrangement the flank is unduly increased, the interior space correspondingly diminished, and the excess of earth in front of the curtain, which perfect flanking arrangement requires to be removed, is very much increased in amount. On the whole, the defect I speak of is one which diminishes the interior space (a thing always to be avoided), increases the length of the parapet and labor of construction without benefit, and increases the dead spaces in front of the curtain. Your west front was so far from meeting flanking principles that I remodeled it myself. Your east front has no flanking arrangements, though it admitted of the same as I placed on the west front. What I consider errors in this work I have seen committed before, and would invite your attention to them for the sake of all concerned.

G. K. WARREN,

Major-General of Volunteers.

(Same to Captain Howell).