of the army is upon the right fortifying and that they are only keeping up a skeleton line of the center. His brigade, he thinks, is on the right of the Jerusalem plank road, extending just across it. He thinks Mahone's division lies principally to the right of the plank road; cannot say what troops are to the left of the plank road extending toward Beauregard, but thinks Mahone's old brigade is in there somewhere; has not much intelligence. His regiment is 161 men bearing arms. His company, the largest in his regiment, has twenty-one men for duty. From his estimates of the other regiments in the brigade, Sanders' strength is about 800 men. No news of Early's defeat has yet reached the army.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JNO. C. BABCOCK.

PLANK ROAD SIGNAL STATION,

September 23, 1864-9.30 a.m.

Major FISHER,

Chief Signal Officer:

Enemy working in small force on our extreme left. All quiet.

H. W. FULTON,

Sergeant.

JORDAN'S HOUSE, September 23, 1864-10 a.m.

Major B. F. FISHER:

The enemy are using horses on the Petersburg and Richmond Railroad hauling platform-cars loaded with lumber toward Petersburg. I send the following rebel message:

9.30 A. M.

Colonel BRENT,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

The enemy's camps to the rear of open space to the left of Cobb's have decreased. One gun-boat above pontoon all night. The cars were heard constantly running on the City Point Railroad.

S.,

Sergeant, at C.

(Same to A. B.)

T. R. CLARK,

Captain and Signal Officer.

PLANK ROAD SIGNAL STATION,

September 23, 1864-3.20 p.m.

Major B. F. FISHER:

At 3 p.m. a brigade of infantry, numbering about 1,100, came from the left on line of Weldon railroad and disappeared in woods west of railroad apparently moving toward Petersburg.

H. W. FULTON,

Sergeant.