serving have been tumbled over the bluff banks on which they stood to where they can be picked up by the vessels of the flotilla. Yesterday my men succeeded in moving the Homan's English rifled gun, 95pounder, to the edge of the river, and it is now, I presume, at the navyyard. The rebels left everything behind. Some of my regiments have been constantly at work in removing stores of all kinds, and to-day I hope the Sixth New Jersey Volunteers will complete that work. A defeat could not have been more disastrous to the rebels. They left in the utmost consternation. The defensive works of the rebels in and around the batteries were stupendous. I am informed that the rebels still hold to the positions on Aquia Creek. Brig. Gen. S. WILLIAMS: JOSEPH HOOKER, BUDD'S FERRY, March 14, 1862. One of my negro spies reports that he went to the Rappahannock; saw large bodies of troops yesterday below Fredericksburg, on the Caroline side of the river. Troops, he says, are concentrating there in good numbers. Intrenchments are being thrown up on the racecourse-a place, it is said, artillery commands the approach for a great distance; vicinity a level plain. The bridges about Fredericksburg are standing. The rebels expect a great battle there. The prominent citizens there have their goods packed, ready for a move. This can be relied on. JOSEPH HOOKER, HEADQUARTERS HOOKER'S DIVISION, Camp Baker, Lower Potomac, Maryland, March 14, 1862. Lieut. Col. JOHN P. VAN LEER, Commanding Sixth Regiment New Jersey Volunteers: You will land five companies of your command on the north side of the Quantico, and five companies on the south side of the Chopawamsic, and direct both columns to march on Dumfries. You will direct careful search to be made on both for all scows and boats, and send down the river as many as practicable that may be of service. Throughout all your march you will capture and bring off as many of the rebel stores as may be of service to us. Should you meet with resistance, capture and destroy them; also destroy all rebel stores that can be of no service to us. Let the march be made with great caution. Allow no straggling, and keep your advanced guard and flankers well thrown out. Members of the signal corps will accompany you to communicate any important information you may have to send me. Return to-night. Very respectfully, &c., JOS. DICKINSON, Assistant Adjutant-General. WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, D. C., March 14, 1862. Maj. Gen. GEORGE B. MCCLELLAN, Fairfax Court-House: About twenty-five steamers to carry troops are here. Others must arrive rapidly. I will directly let you know the carrying capacity of those that are here. At Perryville there are barges for all the wagons and schooners for about one-third of the horses there, and a large fleet was just below Perryville last night. The change from Annapolis to Washington will cause some delay, particularly in the transportation of horses. I send by express to Colonel Astor the detailed information you require. I will telegraph again as soon as I get reports of arrival this morning. JOHN TUCKER, Assistant Secretary of War. HEADQUARTERS MOUNTAIN DEPARTMENT, Major-General MCCLELLAN: Colonel at Gauley Bridge learns large force for Lewisburg arrived at Jackson River Depot last week, and was turned back by orders. Send it as an item. My report went to Adjutant-General Thomas 12th. Where am I to go? W. S. ROSECRANS, Organization of brigades in Banks' division, Winchester, Va., March 14, 1862.* Maj. Gen. GEORGE B. MCCLELLAN, Seminary: In reply to your dispatch to this Department of yesterday [13th], which was transmitted to the Secretary of the Navy, he replies as follows: Hon. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War: NAVY DEPARTMENT, March 14, 1862. SIR: Yours inclosing the dispatch of Major-General McClellan, suggesting that the Secretary of the Navy be requested "to order to Fort Monroe whatever force Du Pont can now spare, as well as any available force that Goldsborough can send up, as soon as his present operations are completed," has been received. If a movement is to be *Announced in General Orders, No. 27, of that date, from division headquarters. made upon Norfolk-always a favorite measure of this Department-instant measures will be taken to advise and strengthen Flag-Officer Goldsborough, but unless such be the case, I should be extremely reluctant to take any measure that would even temporarily weaken the efficacy of the blockade, especially at the points under the command of Flag-Officer Du Pont. The importance of capturing Norfolk is, I know, deemed almost indispensable by Flag-Officer Goldsborough, who will be happy to co-operate in a movement in that direction, and will, I need not assure you, have the active and carnest efforts of this Department to aid him with all the force that can be placed at his disposal. I am, respectfully, your obedient servant, The foregoing letter was received late last night. GIDEON WELLES. EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War. WASHINGTON CITY, D. C., March 15, 1862. Maj. Gen. GEORGE B. MCCLELLAN, General, Commanding: GENERAL: Application has been made to this Department by rep. resentatives from the State of Virginia that the force under General Lockwood, now in Eastern Virginia, is no longer needed there, and it would gratify the inhabitants to have all but a small portion removed. I beg to direct your attention to the subject, and that you will make such order as you deem proper. Yours, truly, EDWIN M. STANTON, HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Maj. Gen. I. MCDOWELL, Commanding First Army Corps: GENERAL: The commanding general directs that your corps take with it on its transports six days' subsistence, of which at least three days must be cooked and in haversacks. Each commissary must provide himself with scales, butchers' tools, and whatever else may be necessary for the efficient performance of his duties. Any property that cannot be taken will be left in charge of an agent, whose name, together with a statement of the property so left, will be reported by the Commissary-General of Subsistence. I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant, A. V. COLBURN, Assistant Adjutant-General. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Hon. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War: I have the honor herewith to return the letter of Mr. Reverdy Johnson, having retained a copy. I would beg to call your attention to the very indefinite nature of the letter. There were many Massachusetts regiments in and near Montgomery County until within a few days past; unless the locality is specified it would seem to be impossible to carry out your orders, for the guilty parties certainly will not volunteer information against themselves. About ten days since I was informed that some men from a Massachusetts regiment, in Keyes' division, had committed outrages; I at once directed the matter to be laid before General Keyes, with orders to investigate it and bring the parties to punishment. I can form no idea whether this is the same case or not. If Mr. Johnson will give me some clew to pursue I will gladly have the whole thing examined. The charge is so indefinite that I really do not know how I am to proceed in the matter without more distinct information. May I ask you to request Mr. Johnson to give me the necessary data with the least possible delay, for I wish to punish promptly any outrages committed by troops under my command? I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, GEO. B. MCCLELLAN, GENERAL ORDERS, WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJT. GEN.'S OFFICE, No. 25. Washington, March 15, 1862. The Provost-Marshal-General of the Army of the Potomac and his subordinates will turn over to Brigadier-General Wadsworth, military governor of the District of Columbia, the buildings and premises occupied in the city of Washington and all the public property belonging thereto; and from and after it being so turned over the provost-marshal's office will be withdrawn from the city of Washington, and all the force employed in the military police of the city will be henceforth under command of Brigadier General Wadsworth, as military governor of the District. General Wadsworth will establish his headquarters in the building heretofore used and occupied by the provost-marshal in the city of Washington. The Provost-Marshal-General and his subordinates will also turn over to Brigadier-General Wadsworth, as military governor of the District of Columbia, all the military prisons and prisoners within the District of Columbia and all contrabands now in custody, and the same shall henceforth be under command of the military governor of the District of Columbia. General Wadsworth will forthwith assume command as military governor of the said District. The information I forwarded regarding gunboats building on the Rappahannock was obtained from negroes living in that vicinity. They had not, however, seen any of the boats. What they stated was from hearsay. The Nicholas is a light sidewheel steamer, the boat seized by a Colonel Thomas, of Maryland. I have no description of the Virginia, but have judged her the same description of boat. I will strive and obtain further information on these points. R. H. WYMAN. J. A. DAHLGREN. WASHINGTON NAVY-YARD, March 16, 1862-8.45 a. m. Hon. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War: General Van Vliet has just left, having come to confer in regard to the matter under your consideration to day. He thinks they will have no difficulty in regard to the pilotage, if I will let him have one or two good pilots to lead and the assistance of one or two vessels of the flotilla to watch the Rappahannock. The chief pilot of the yard, on being called in, stated that such of the vessels as he had spoken to had pilots, and he believed most of them had. He also said that the draught of the transports was generally 10 feet. I requested General Van Vliet to see and state his views to you on the subject. Captain Wyman will be up in the morning and will see you, if you choose. J. A. DAHLGREN. WASHINGTON NAVY-YARD, March 16, 1862–9 a. m. Hon. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War: Captain Wyman has just arrived from below, and says that three vessels of his flotilla have already been ordered to convoy the transports to Hampton Roads, and as the quartermaster-general of the Potomac is satisfied with all the other arrangements, it would appear that all your purposes will be executed without my assistance. Captain Wyman also says in regard to the vessels supposed to be building at Fredericksburg, that they are not reported to be far advanced, and he has no information as to their being cased with iron. The reports are derived from negroes at different times. Captain Wyman further states that there is a young man in General Hooker's brigade who lately ran away from Fredericksburg, and may be able to give information on the subject. Brig. Gen. S. WILLIAMS: JNO. A. DAHLGREN. POOLESVILLE, March 16, 1862. Lieutenant-Colonel De Korponay reports that several small detachments of the enemy's cavalry, in all some 40 or 50, have been seen several times the past two days in the neighborhood, reconnoitering this position. This is confirmed by the pickets below Goose Creek, on this side, who report having seen about the same number last evening. Last night several rocket signals were made about 2 miles west of the town, and the pickets the same distance below Edwards Ferry, on this side, report that two were sent up opposite at a distance from the river. Colonel De Korponay has with him 280 men, including 6 of the First Michigan Cavalry, and one piece of artillery. EDMUND C. CHARLES, Colonel Forty-second New York Volunteers, Commanding. WINCHESTER, March 16, 1862. Maj. Gen. N. P. BANKS: Your message received. Authentic information received to-day of evacuation of Strasburg yesterday by Jackson's forces taking the road to Staunton, with guns and stores. Railroad bridges over North and |