held by Wilcox, and Pegram holds the front of Heth. I can have a dash made upon the pickets opposite Fort Sampson or Fort Gregg, or allow a little intercourse, if the statement of these deserters is not considered sufficient to determine who is opposite this front. The statement of some of Miles' prisoners was that they had not waited for the infantry, which they understood was to follow them, and did not know whether any was there. I did not attach much importance to Miles' report about the presence of infantry. We could probably have got to the South Side Railroad through Dinwiddie Court-House without much fighting before we got there, striking the railroad near Ford's road crossing-but afterward?

A. A. HUMPHREYS,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARMY CORPS, December 11, 1864-11.40 a.m.

Brigadier General S. WILLIAMS,
Assistant Adjutant-General:

The following changes in the disposition of the troops of this command have been made since my last report: The troops on reconnaissance and in support of it returned to their former positions in the intrenchments last evening, and subsequently the reserves of the First Division, Sixth Corps, were moved to the right of the line held by that corps, in the vicinity of Fort Alexander Hays and to the right of that fort. Two men from the Sixty-ninth New York deserted to the enemy from the picket-line. Two deserters from the enemy came into our lines. The rear picket-line of the corps, in the vicinity of the Wyatt farm, was tried at two or three points by the enemy's cavalry last evening.

A. A. HUMPHREYS,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, December 11, 1864-2.15 p.m. (Sent 2.40 p.m.)

Major-General HUMPHREYS:

The information from the deserters sent in appears positive, and is, I presume, all we could get from other sources. I thank it is pretty well settled Lee holds his lines in my front with only Johnson, Pegram, and Gordon, not over, in all, 15,000 men. If this is the case, he cannot very well assume the offensive as long as Hill is detached, but should Warren not be followed on his return by Hill, that gentleman might try his hand at an attack on our rear, coming up the Halifax or Vaughan road. I think, therefore, our attention should be directed to this point. Warren, I presume, will return by the Jerusalem plank, which will make that approach secure, but the roads to the westward would be open to Hill. I would, therefore, keep artillery and small garrisons in the works as far as the Gurley house, and caution the rear pickets to be on the qui vive. I can send my headquarters reserves to the Gurley house, about 150 strong.

GEO. G. MEADE,
Major-General.