HATCHER'S, December 3, 1864.

(Received 6.45 p. m.)

Major-General BUTLER:

The rebels having orders to fire upon our colored troops when on duty and to abstain from it when white troops are on, and it likewise having been reported that their artillery had been heard moving off, I opened with our artillery pretty heavily at 4.30 p. m. The rebels responded from seven guns, making miserable practice and doing no damage. Our practice was very fine, and, as the fusilade was unexpected, must have done considerable damage.

C. K. GRAHAM,

Brigadier-General.

HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA,
December 3, 1864.

General GRAHAM,

Bermuda:

Please withdraw Colonel Bates' brigade - the Twenty-seventh, Thirtieth, and Thirty-ninth Colored Troops - from the line and put it in camp to the rear, subject to Brigadier-General Paine's orders.

JNumbers W. BUTLER,

Brigadier-General and Chief of Staff.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEFENSES OF BERMUDA HUNDRED,
ARMY OF THE JAMES,

Numbers 38.
In the Field, Va., December 3, 1864.

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II. Colonel McClure, Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, is assigned to the command of the Provisional Brigade of this command, relieving Colonel J. H. Potter, Twelfth New Hampshire Volunteers, assigned to do duty in the Eighteenth Army Corps.

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By command of Brigadier-General Graham:

R. DALE BENSON,

Aide-de-Camp and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

NEW BERNE, N. C., December 3, 1864.

Colonel STEWART,

Commanding Ninth New Jersey Volunteers, Carolina City:

General Palmer directs me to say that you will proceed to New Berne with every available armed man in your regiment to-morrow morning. The train will be at Carolina City soon after daylight. You will leave a suitable camp guard on non-effective men, under charge of at least one efficient officer. You will bring three days' rations and sixty rounds of ammunition per man. Provide yourself with a good pioneer party of twenty unarmed men. This order is equally applicable to the commanding officer Twenty-seventh Massachusetts Volunteers, to whom you will send a certified copy at once. The Twenty-seventh Massachusetts will assemble at your camp, and you will have command of both regiments. The twenty-seventh need not bring