Lewis', there miles west to Thoroughfare Gap, where fifty of Mosby's men and some officers are reported to be to-night. They will get there before daylight to-morrow morning.

WM. GAMBLE,

Colonel, Commanding Brigade.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF WEST VIRGINIA, December 27, 1864.

Major R. P. KENNEDY:

Major-General Crook and staff leave for Cumberland in the morning. Yours,
JOHN R. CRAIG,

Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.

WINCHESTER, VA., December 28, 1864-9.30 p. m. (Received 1 a.m. 29th.)

Lieutenant-General GRANT:

The wagons of the two divisions last sent from here will start for City Point to-morrow morning; also the ambulances. The pressure is so hard on me to send more troops to Western Virginia that I have consented to send the other small division of Crook's command to cover the railroad westward from Martinsburg. Crook thinks that small guerrilla parties will operate during the winter in the little valleys, all of which run perpendicular to the railroad, and will give constant annoyance. This will leave the two divisions of the Nineteenth Corps intact. So far as any military operations on the part of the enemy of an aggressive character, I think they are at an end in this valley for a long time to come, and it would be best, perhaps, to send another division off. The only argument against this is the insecurity which it might create along extended and sensitive line from Alexandria to the Ohio, and where there are so many troublesome interests-some loyal and some disloyal-some interested in coal-oil speculations, some in the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and some in the canal. So far as the military situation is concerned, it is my impression that another division could be spared.

P . H. SHERIDAN,

Major-General.

WINCHESTER, VA., December 28, 1864. (Received 12.35 p .m.)

Lieutenant-General GRANT:

General Torbert has just returned. In a more detailed report he says the great difficulty which he had was the cold, bad weather, and ice on the roads. He brings in 2 pieces of artillery, captured at Liberty Mills, 30 prisoners, and 1,000 head of stock. He reports that infantry came from Richmond to Gordonsville; that Rodes' division was at Fishersville, between Stauton and Waynesborough, and did advance in the direction of Harrisonburg when Custer was in that vicinity. Other information which I have received its to the effect that Gordon's division, or a part it, moved out in the direction of Waytheville, W. Va. This latter information comes from rebel sources.

P. H. SHERIDAN,

Major-General.

53 R R-VOL SLVII, PT II