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HEADQUARTERS, Lewisburg, Va., January 9, 1862.

General S. COOPER, Adjutant-General C. S. A.:

SIR: I have the honor to report that the Twenty-second Regiment Virginia, under Lieutenant-Colonel Jackson, arrived at the White Sulphur Springs yesterday. From sickness and other causes the regiment has been reduced to about 325 effective men. Its weakness invites attack.

The country towards the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad is left entirely open. At any time the enemy's cavalry could move from Raleigh Court-House and do great damage. I would therefore urge upon the Department the necessity of sending a force to Peterstown (a strategic point), ready to move towards Union or the road leading from Raleigh Court-House to Virginia and Tennessee Railroad in case the enemy should threaten either point.

It may be some time before a sufficient force can be raised for "local defense," and as I am threatened on all sides, I respectfully call the attention of the Department to our defenseless condition and the importance of guarding not only the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad, but that of the Central Railroad and the depot of supplies at Jack son's River.

Since my return I have raised one company of cavalry, which will be organized on the 11th. I will immediately place it on duty, guarding the roads leading to this place; other companies (of infantry and one of artillery) are in process of being formed.

In case of necessity I will force out the militia; those who are not for me are against me.

Capt. R. Caskie, Wise's Legion, desires to join me with his company of cavalry. He has been operating in Mercer and Raleigh during the past summer, and he is well acquainted with the country. I hope you will gratify him, and order him to join me. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, A. W. REYNOLDS, Colonel, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS VALLEY DISTRICT, Morgan County, Virginia, January 10, 1862.

General JOSEPH E. JOHNSTON,

Commanding Department of Northern Virginia:

GENERAL: In accordance with instructions received from you I submit the following report respecting the location of the troops of this district. The numbers are not strictly accurate:

At Winchester, 183 infantry; at Hanging Rock, on the Northwestern turnpike, distant from Winchester 28 miles, 650 infantry and 56 cav. alry; at North River Mills, on Cacapon bridge, and Frankfort turnpike, distant from Winchester 20 miles, 50 cavalry; at Martinsburg, 100 infantry and 56 cavalry; at Shepherdstown, 60 cavalry; at Duffield's Depot, on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, midway between Charlestown and Shepherdstown, 100 infantry and 26 cavalry; at Moorefield, distant 57 miles from Winchester and 27 from Romney, 400 infantry; at this place, on the Hampshire and Berkeley turnpike, distant 24 miles from Winchester, 8,000 infantry and 375 cavalry.

Brigadier-General Meem left here this morning for Moorefield with 545 infantry, and Brigadier-General Carson left here this morning for

Bath, a distance of 16 miles, in command of 200 infantry and 25 mounted militia. All the volunteers and regulars are stationed here. I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

T. J. JACKSON,

Major-General, P. A. C. S., Commanding.

SPECIAL ORDERS, HDQRS. DEP'T OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA, January 10, 1862.

No. 13.

IV. In accordance with instructions from the War Department, Maj. Gen. Earl Van Dorn is relieved from duty in this department, and will report to the Secretary of War, at Richmond, Va.

V. In accordance with instructions from the War Department, Brig. Gen. Sam. Jones is relieved from duty in this department, and will report to the Secretary of War, at Richmond, Va. By command of General Johnston:

THOS. G. RHETT, Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST CORPS, ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
Near Centreville, January 12, 1862.

Brig. Gen. D. H. HILL, Commanding C. S. Forces, Leesburg:
GENERAL: Your letter of this date having been submitted to the
general commanding, he approves your suggested application to the War
Department for an increase of your force.

He regrets his inability to send you a suitable engineer, but has dis patched the best at his command. At least half a dozen competent engineers and as many each of topographical and ordnance officers should be with this army; but there is only one officer of engineers on duty with it.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

THOMAS JORDAN, Assistant Adjutant-General.

LEESBURG, VA., January 13, 1862.

Hon. J. P. BENJAMIN, Secretary of War:

SIR: With the permission of the general commanding, I address you directly upon the subject of an increase of force at this point. You are aware that our force at Centreville is scarce a third as large as it ought to be; and yet that its rout would do more to demoralize our Confederacy than the subjugation of two States. In the weak condition of that army I cannot look for aid from that quarter. Their fortifications may prevent a direct attack, and it has been a favorite scheme of the enemy to turn them by a combined movement from Point of Rocks and Edwards Ferry via Leesburg. The rashness of Colonel Baker defeated a a well-devised and well-arranged plan of general advance on the 21st October. The whole army here understand that immense masses of men had gathered then at these points to be thrown over here; the defeat and rout of the van discouraged and disheartened the main body, but the original plan has never been abandoned. In the last month the enemy has thrown up most formidable batteries to cover all the crossings.

We have constructed one most excellent fort and have two others in process of construction. These, when finished, could be held by a single regiment, and Loudoun County, the richest in the State, would be safe. If this regiment was sent from Richmond my whole available force could move to Centreville on the decisive day.

The object of my communication, then, is to ask for at least one additional regiment, for guns to be placed in the batteries and for artillerists to work them. The guns I learn can be got, and if no artillerists can be spared, I could have men trained and drilled in the re-enforcing regi

ment.

As "the Army of the Potomac is the rebellion," in the emphatic language of McClellan, I trust that I may be excused for troubling you on a matter materially connected with its efficiency.

With great respect,

D. H. HILL, Brigadier-General, P. A. C. S.

[Memorandum.]

Write General Hill that one unarmed regiment can be furnished, if desired, but we have no arms.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA,
Centreville, January 14, 1862.

Hon. J. P. BENJAMIN, Secretary of War:

SIR: I have had the honor to receive your letter of the 7th instant, and transmit herewith the statement required of the organization of the troops of the Potomac District, with partial ones of those of Aquia and the valley. These are incomplete, because the officers commanding those districts have not yet furnished the statements (similar) asked for by me some time since.

I regret to find from your last letter that the President is dissatisfied with the manner in which I have exercised the discretion with which he invested me as to the execution of Orders 15 and 18. I have assured him that there has been no time since those orders were given when i did not believe it to be utterly unsafe to attempt such reorganization, and no time when I was not, as now, anxious to carry out his wishes.

I have hitherto regarded these changes as impracticable because unsafe, and shall so regard them until the destination of the Burnside expedition is known.

Could the President see the condition of the country at this season, and that of our means of transportation, I am sure that he would regard these changes as physically impracticable now. The teams are all in constant employment, either to supply the troops with provision and fuel or themselves and the cavalry horses with food.

Since the supply in the neighborhood was exhausted the Quartermas ter's Department has been unable to furnish full forage. Hay and fodder are rarely to be had, consequently our horses are in wretched condition.

I have twice asked by telegraph for an officer to take General Whit ing's command, but have received no reply. No competent officer can be spared from any other part of this army.

Most respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. E. JOHNSTON,

General.

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Composed of two companies from Alabama, one from Georgia, and three from

Mississippi.

Sixth Virginia Cavalry.

Jeff. Davis Legion.*

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