CUMBERLAND, September 25, 1864.

Major-General HALLECK,

Chief of Staff, Washington:

As I can not communication readily with General Crook, I deem it my duty to advise you of the status of affairs in West Virginia. A rebel force, estimated at 600 or 700 mounted men, came through Braxton County and occupied Weston and Buckhannon yesterday. The small force at Buckhannon fell back on Beverly. It was also reported last night that a force occupied the Beverly and Phillippi pike, a few miles above the latter place. This movement would seem to indicate that it is the intention of the enemy to attempt the capture of the force at Beverly, consisting of about 400 men of the Eighth Ohio Cavalry. I have concentrated all the force available in my command for the protection of Clarksburg and Grafton. At these points is a large amount of Government property, railroad equipments, and important bridges. I cannot learn positively what force this is or who is in command, but it is believed to be a portion of General Echols'.

B. F. KELLEY,

Brevet Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS, Cumberland, Md., September 25, 1864.

Brigadier General A. N. DUFFIE,
Commanding First Cavalry Division:L

GENERAL: General Kelley directs me to inclose you a copy of a telegram just received from department headquarters, and to inquire if you can send a force to Buckhannon and vicinity as intimated in the inclosed dispatch.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

C. A. FREEMAN,

Lieutenant and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

[Inclosure.]

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF WEST VIRGINIA, Woodstock, September 24, 1864.

Brevet Major-General KELLEY:

The commanding general wishes, if the neighborhood of Buckhannon is threatened by the enemy, that you request General Duffie to send men to protect that region. He does not desire the militia to be called out.

P. G. BIER,
Assistant General-General.

HARRISONBURG, VA., September 26, 1864-7 p. m. (Received October 1.)

Lieutenant-General GRANT:

GENERAL: I see a paragraph going the rounds of the papers that the Nineteenth Army Corps was late in coming into the fight at Winchester. I was entirely unconscious of this until I saw it in the papers.