Maj. ISAAC B. DUNN:

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF KANAWHA,

September 25, 1861.

SIR: Your note September 23 is at hand. In reply I am instructed by General Floyd to say that he would urge you to send up his re-enforcements with all possible dispatch. To this end you will use every possible effort to get transportation for them upon arrival at Jackson River Depot. The enemy have concentrated their entire available force in Western and Northwestern Virginia on this road, and it is absolutely necessary to the command of General Floyd and to the cause that he should have re-enforcements, and this speedily. The enemy have already appeared before Wise in large force. General Lee went to his succor with four of General Floyd's regiments, which leaves the latter with a very small force. Hence you see the necessity of rapid re-enforcements.

By order of Brig. Gen. John B. Floyd:

WILLIAM E. PETERS, Assistant Adjutant-General, Floyd's Brigade.

P. S.-General Wise was fighting yesterday, but with what success I have not learned.

GENERAL ORDERS,

No. 31.

HDQRS. ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,

September 25, 1861.

I. Maj. Gen. Gustavus W. Smith, Provisional Army Confederate States, is assigned to the command of the Second Corps of the Army of the Potomac.

II. The Second Corps will consist of the troops of this army not heretofore assigned to the First Corps.

By command of General Johnston:

THOS. G. RHETT, Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
September 26, 1861.

Hon. SECRETARY OF WAR, Richmond:

SIR: The troops now under my command occupy a front of about 6 miles from Flint Hill, through Fairfax Court-House and Fairfax Station, to Sangster's Cross-Roads. An advance guard of eleven regiments of infantry and Colonel Stuart's cavalry is stationed at Falls Church, Munson's and Mason's Hills, at Padgett's (where the Columbian turnpike enters that from Alexandria to Fairfax), and at Springfield Station, on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad. Munson's Hill is apparently little more than 3 miles from the enemy's line of works on the heights extending from Georgetown to Alexandria. I assumed this advanced position as soon as the repair of the railroad enabled the Quartermaster's and Commissary Departments to afford us supplies with a twofold object-to 56 R R-VOL V

remove the troops from the unhealthy atmosphere of the valley of Bull Run and to be ready to turn the enemy's position and advance into Maryland whenever the strength of this army would justify it. By ordering the troops forward, besides securing healthy and comfortable locations, we could keep better watch over the enemy and maintain an attitude in accordance with our recent victory. Thus far the numbers and condition of this army have at no time justified our assuming the offensive. To do so would require more men and munitions.

We are not now in a strong defensive position either to fight a battle or to hold the enemy in check. The position was occupied for a different purpose. It is now necessary to decide definitely whether we are to advance or fall back to a more defensible line. There are very grave and serious objections to the latter course, and the idea even should not be entertained until after it is finally determined to be impracticable to place this army in such condition as would justify its taking at an early day the active offensive. The difficulty of obtaining the means of estab lishing a battery near Evansport and length of time required for the collection of those means have given me the impression that you cannot at present put this army in condition to assume the offensive. If I am mistaken in this, and you can furnish those means, I think it important that either his excellency the President of the Confederate States, yourself, or some one representing you, should here upon the ground confer with me in regard to this all-important question. I send this by an offi cer of my staff, who can give you detailed information in regard to the positions now occupied by the troops under my command. I beg you to write an answer by the officer who will deliver this as soon as may be convenient to you.

Most respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. E. JOHNSTON,

General.

President JEFFERSON DAVIS:

DUMFRIES, September 27, 1861.

Colonel Hampton's battery, at the mouth of Powell's Run, on my left, opened on several small vessels passing yesterday. The war steamers of Lincoln's hug the Maryland shore and remain silent. The Long Tom is moved this morning farther down the river. My command are looking over into Maryland as the promised land. Major Marshall is with me. L. T. WIGFALL,

[Colonel First Texas Infantry.]

FAIRFAX COURT-HOUSE, September 28, 1861. Hon. J. P. BENJAMIN, Acting Secretary of War, Richmond, Va.: MY DEAR SIR: Your favor of the 24th instant has only this day been received, and in accordance with your suggestion General Johnston and myself have prepared a list of major and brigadier generals which we hope will be approved of by the President and yourself, for they have been selected entirely according to their reputation and merit as officers. They have few equals, and none superior, in any service. What

is required is prompt action, for we may at any time be called upon to meet again the "Grand Army of the North," which this time will do its best to wipe out the disgrace of Manassas, and these officers ought to have a few days to organize their divisions and staffs before the battle commences. One or two major-generals only to each corps would not help us materially. General Johnston has seven and I nine brigades of from three to five regiments each of volunteers, so that our orders have to be so multiplied and repeated, that the genins of a Napoleon would get entangled on a day of battle. What we want is a simplification of the whole system, with one head and several co-ordinate branches. With much respect, I remain, yours, very truly,

G. T. BEAUREGARD.

General JOSEPH E. JOHNSTON,

RICHMOND, September 29, 1861.

Headquarters Army of the Potomac :

SIR: Your letter of the 26th instant has been handed to me by Captain Preston, and has received the attention both of the President and myself. It is extremely difficult, even with the aid of such information as Captain Preston has been able to give us orally, as suggested by you, to determine whether or not we can furnish you the further means you may deem necessary to assume the active offensive. We have not in the Department a single return from your army of the quantity of ammunition, artillery, means of transportation, or sick in camp or in hospitals, to enable us to form a judgment of what your necessities may be. Having had charge of the War Department but a few days, my first effort was to master our situation, to understand thoroughly what we had and in what our deficiencies consisted, but I have been completely foiled at all points by the total absence of systematic returns. I beg to call your attention to this, as it will be obvious to you that the Department cannot be administered without a thorough reform in this respect. I have, therefore, earnestly requested the President to visit your headquarters in person, and to learn on conference with you the true position of your army in all respects, and the possibility of a prompt offensive movement. He has consented to this, and I hope will reach your camp within a day or two. Your note relative to Captain Mansfield Lovell will be carefully considered in disposing of the services of that justlyesteemed officer.

1 am, respectfully,

J. P. BENJAMIN,
Acting Secretary of War.

DUMFRIES, September 29, 1861.

General S. COOPER:

GENERAL: I am happy to inform you that the first of our river batteries at Evansport is finished, and guns mounted ready for service without discovery by the enemy. I write you to-night.

Yours,

I. R. TRIMBLE, Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Abstract from a field return, September 30, 1861, of the First Corps, Army of the Potomac, commanded by General Beauregard.

Abstract from return of the Department of Fredericksburg, commanded by Brig. Gen. T. H. Holmes, for September, 1861.

1,450 22,068 27,742 29, 351 33, 577 35, 478

Council of war at Centreville.

OCTOBER 1, 1861.*

On the 26th September, 1861, General Joseph E. Johnston addressed a letter to the Secretary of War in regard to the importance of putting this army in condition to assume the offensive, and suggested that his excellency the President, or the Secretary of War, or some one representing them, should at an early day come to the headquarters of the army, then at or near Fairfax Court-House, for the purpose of deciding whether the army could be re-enforced to the extent that the commanding general deemed necessary for an offensive campaign.

His excellency the President arrived at Fairfax Court-Honse a few days thereafter, late in the afternoon, and proceeded to the quarters of General Beauregard. On the same evening General Johnston and I

*The exact date does not appear in the records. That above is approximately, if not absolutely, correct.

called to pay our respects. No official subjects of importance were alluded to in that interview. At 8 o'clock the next evening, by appointment of the President, a conference was had between himself, General Johnston, General Beauregard, and myself. Various matters of detail were introduced by the President, and talked over between himself and the two senior generals. Having but recently arrived, and not being well acquainted with the special subjects referred to, I took little or no part in this conversation. Finally, with perhaps some abruptness, I said: "Mr. President, is it not possible to put this army in condition to assume the active offensive?" adding that this was a question of vital importance, upon which the success or failure of our cause might depend. This question brought on discussion. The precise conversation which followed I do not propose to give; it was not an argument. There seemed to be little difference of opinion between us in regard to general views and principles. It was clearly stated and agreed to that the military force of the Confederate States was at the highest point it could attain without arms from abroad; that the portion of this particular army present for duty was in the finest fighting condition; that if kept inactive it must retrograde immensely in every respect during the winter, the effect of which was foreseen and dreaded by us all. The enemy were daily increasing in number, arms, discipline, and efficiency. We looked forward to a sad state of things at the opening of a spring campaign.

These and other points being agreed upon without argument, it was again asked: "Mr. President, is it not possible to increase the effective strength of this army, and put us in condition to cross the Potomac and carry the war into the enemy's country? Can you not by stripping other points to the last they will bear, and, even risking defeat at all other places, put us in condition to move forward? Success here at this time saves everything; defeat here loses all." In explanation and as an illustration of this the unqualified opinion was advanced that if for want of adequate strength on our part in Kentucky the Federal forces should take military possession of that whole State, and even enter and occupy a portion of Tennessee, a victory gained by this army beyond the Potomac would, by threatening the heart of the Northern States, compel their armies to fall back, free Kentucky, and give us the line of the Ohio within ten days thereafter. On the other hand, should our forces in Tennessee and Southern Kentucky be strengthened, so as to enable us to take and to hold the Ohio River as a boundary, a disastrous defeat of this army would at once be followed by an overwhelming wave of Northern invaders, that would sweep over Kentucky and Tennessee, extending to the northern part of the cotton States, if not to New Orleans. Similar views were expressed in regard to ultimate results in Northwestern Virginia being dependent upon the success or failure of this army, and various other special illustrations were offered, showing, in short, that success here was success everywhere, defeat here defeat everywhere; and that this was the point upon which all the available forces of the Confederate States should be concentrated. It seemed to be conceded by all that our force at that time here was not sufficient for assuming the offensive beyond the Potomac, and that even with a much larger force an attack upon their army under the guns of their fortifications on this side of the river was out of the question.

The President asked me what number of men were necessary in my opinion to warrant an offensive campaign, to cross the Potomac, cut off the communications of the enemy with their fortified capital, and