REPORT OP MAJOR-GENERAL GEORGE G. MEADE.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE EAST,

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, October 12, 1866.

‘General,—I have the honour to submit for the information of the general commanding in chief the following succinct report of military operations in my command during the present year:—

‘At the commencement of the year my command was the military division of the Atlantic, composed of the department of the east, the middle department, and the departments of Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

‘The only movements of any consequence were those made on the northern frontier with a view to enforce the neutrality laws. Early in April a despatch was received from the honourable Secretary of War, transmitting one from the collector at Eastport, Maine, reporting the concentration at that place of large numbers of strangers, believed to belong to the Fenian organization, and assembled with a view to organizing an expedition against the province of New Brunswick. At this time there was only one company of artillery at Eastport. I immediately ordered three additional companies from the nearest posts, and repaired myself to Eastport. On my arrival I found the collector, under the instructions of the Treasury Department, had seized a vessel loaded with arms and ammunition.

‘Being satisfied of the illegal character of the expedition, I confirmed the seizure of the arms, placed them in charge of the commanding officer at Eastport, and gave notice publicly that no violation of the neutrality laws would be permitted.