At 5 p. m. Captain Davis reports about 1,000 men, infantry, moving westward on the Boydton plank road. They were seen passing a point a quarter of a mile west of the toll-gate.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

B. F. FISHER,

Major and Chief Signal Officer.

SPECIAL ORDERS, HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,

No. 272.
October 8, 1864.

1. Leave of absence is granted to the following-named officers: Major General John Gibbon, volunteer service, for eight days; Major General A. A. Humphreys, volunteer service, for seven days.

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3. Colonel J. C. Tidball, Fourth New York Artillery, is assigned to the command of the Artillery Brigade, Ninth Army Corps, and will report accordingly.

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By command of Major-General Meade:

S. WILLIAMS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARMY CORPS,
October 8, 1864. (Received 9 a. m.)

General WILLIAMS:

No change is reported on my line. Two deserters, one from Harris' brigade and one from Finegan's brigade, came in during the night. They report nothing new.

WINF'D S. HANCOCK,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARMY CORPS,
October 8, 1864.

General WILLIAMS:

One of Gibbon's division attempted to desert to the enemy this morning and was killed by one of our sharpshooters. His body has not been secured.

WINF'D S. HANCOCK,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
October 8, 1864 - 1.50 p. m. (Sent 2 p. m.)

Major-General HANCOCK,

Commanding Second Corps:

General Crawford and General Parke are making a reconnaissance, and General Crawford's picket-line is now advanced beyond where it was this morning. It will be established further forward permanently. Please have your picket-line on the left thrown forward correspondently, and the connection with the Fifth Corps kept up.

A. A. HUMPHREYS,

Major-General and Chief of Staff.