HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
OFFICE OF THE PROVOST-MARSHAL-GENERAL,

November 18, 1864.

Major-General HUMPHREYS,

Chief of Staff:

GENERAL: Two deserters from the Sixteenth Virginia, Weisiger's brigade, Mahone's division, came into General Warren's lines from vedette post near the Davis house at daylight this a. m. Have no information additional or contrary to that reported yesterday. Scales' brigade is in the trenches to the right and in front of the lead-works, and does no picket duty. Mahone's men come out from camp three or four miles on picket in front of Scales, who is at work building traverses and strengthening the works by abatis. Two deserters from the Forty-sixth Virginia, Wise's brigade, Johnson's division, came into General Mott's lines this a. m. Wise's brigade is lying between the crater and the Jerusalem plank road, with Evans on its right and Gracie and Ransom on the left. Have no other information. From office at City Point we learn that Johnson's old (Tennessee) brigade is on the right of Fort Harrison; 350 men in Fort Gilmer, with the Tenth, Eighteenth, and Twenty-fifth Battalions of City Troops near by. Pickett's division is lying from the James to their right in the following order: Terry, Corse, Hunton, and Barton. Agent left Richmond yesterday. The day before all the transportation that could be spared from the other railroads was transferred to the Central and sent north. Wagon trains were also sent north. It was understood in Richmond that these preparations were made for the return of Early's forces. Conscripts are not coming in large numbers. There are very few at Camp Lee. Corn has lately been brought into Richmond in large quantities. No other news.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JNumbers C. BABCOCK.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
OFFICE OF THE PROVOST-MARSHAL-GENERAL,

November 18, 1864.

Colonel SHARPE,

City Point:

Deserters from Weisiger's and Wise's brigades came in at 5 this a. m. Nothing indicating an evacuation. They have been changing the character of their works of late, building dams, traverses, and putting up extra rows of abatis, with a view, it is said, of holding their line with a smaller force. Nothing yet indicating a movement.

JNumbers C. BABCOCK.

HDQRS. ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, SIGNAL DEPARTMENT,
November 18, 1864.

Major General A. A. HUMPHREYS,

Chief of Staff:

GENERAL: At 12.30 p. m. about 500 enemy's infantry moved toward Richmond on road beyond Pocahontas, as seen from the Avery house. About 300 infantry and four wagons moved out of Fort Clifton, disap-