You will take with these 300 men from your regiment, making 1,000 in all, and immediately proceed, via the pontoon bridge at Broadway Landing, to the Bermuda Hundred line, where you will report to General Ferrero, commanding defenses, for temporary duty. The men will take all their equipments, sixty rounds of ammunition, and two days' rations. The movement must be executed as rapidly as possible, and if Major Slosson does not report as soon as the infantry is ready you will proceed with them, leaving the Engineers to follow.

By order of Brigadier General H. W. Benham:

CHANNING CLAPP,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARMY CORPS, December 16, 1864-10 a.m.

(Received 10.10 a.m.)

Brigadier-General WILLIAMS,
Assistant Adjutant-General:

No changes in the disposition of my command during the last twenty-four hours. Two men deserted from the First Division picket-line last night.

A. A. HUMPHREYS,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARMY CORPS, December 16, 1864.

General S. WILLIAMS:

I send up a deserter from the First Tennessee, Fry's brigade, formerly Archer's. He is a conscript, sixteen years old, very dull.

A. A. HUMPHREYS,
Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARMY CORPS, December 16, 1864-2 p.m.

Brigadier General S. WILLIAMS,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Army of the Potomac:

The enemy are strengthening works to-day. Their picket-posts to our left of Fort Fisher have been connected in places, making a continuous breast-works. They are also engaged on what seems to be a fort on Boisseau's property.

A. A. HUMPHREYS,

Major-General of Volunteers.

HEADQUARTERS NINTH ARMY CORPS, December 16, 1864.

General S. WILLIAMS:

Nothing new along our lines. The enemy still at work on different parts of their line, also extending their line of chevaux-de-frise in front of their picket-line. A deserter from the Thirty-fifth North Carolina came in during the night.

JNO. G. PARKE,
Major-General.