Second Brigade, Brigadier-General Wilcox, to consist of five Alabama regiments. Third Brigade, Brigadier-General Rodes, to consist of five Alabama regiments. Fourth Brigade, Brigadier-General Taylor, to consist of four Louisi ana regiments and one Louisiana battalion. Fifth Brigade, Brigadier-General Griffith, to consist of four Missis sippi regiments. Second Division; under Maj. Gen. G. W. Smith: First Brigade, Brig. Gen. S. Jones, to consist of four Virginia regiments. Second Brigade, Brigadier-General Early, to consist of four Virginia regiments. Third Brigade, Brigadier-General Trimble, to consist of two Virginia, two Tennessee, and one Kentucky regiments. Fourth Brigade, Brigadier-General Cocke, to consist of four Virginia regiments. Fifth Brigade, Brigadier-General Garnett, to consist of four Virginia regiments, en route. Third Division, under Major-General Longstreet: First Brigade, Brig. Gen. D. H. Hill, to consist of five North Carolina regiments. Second Brigade, Brig. Gen. D. R. Jones, to consist of four South Carolina regiments. Third Brigade, Brigadier-General Bonham, to consist of four South Carolina regiments. Fourth Brigade, Brigadier-General Wigfall, to consist of three Texas regiments. Legion, Colonel Hampton, to consist of the Hampton Legion. First Brigade, Brig. Gen. H. R. Jackson, to consist of four Georgia regiments, en route. Second Brigade, Brigadier-General Toombs, to consist of four Georgia regiments. Third Brigade, Brigadier-General Elzey, to consist of three Georgia and one Maryland regiments. Fourth Brigade, Brigadier-General Evans, to consist of four Georgia regiments. By command of the Secretary of War: S. COOPER, Adjutant and Inspector General. General S. COOPER: DUMFRIES, November 16, 1861. Can't feed them nor use Please to put those new good here, and will only What are they sending me unarmed and new regiments for? Don't want them. They will only be in my way. them. I want re-enforcements, not recruits. regiments somewhere else. They can do no seriously embarrass all operations. 61 R R-VOL V W. H. C. WHITING. RICHMOND, November 17, 1861. General W. H. C. WHITING, Dumfries, Va.: Communicate with General Johnston, at whose instance the regi ments via Fredericksburg were to stop at Evansport, where they were to be armed from the depot at Manassas. S. COOPER, Adjutant and Inspector General. RICHMOND, November 17, 1861. Maj. Gen. T. H. HOLMES, Brooke's Station: The regiment that left here yesterday for Evansport had better remain at Fredericksburg for the present, on account of General Whiting's dispatch. No more unarmed regiments will be sent in that direction. S. COOPER, Adjutant and Inspector General. WAR DEPARTMENT, Richmond, November 17, 1861, General JOSEPH E. JOHNSTON, Commanding Department of Northern Virginia: SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter of 13th instant, received yesterday. I perceive that your impression of the result of your conversation with Mr. Hunter was entirely different from that which he communicated to me, and this fact is, perhaps, the best proof that it would have been more regular and prudent that you should have communicated to me in writing some reply to my letter of 13th ultimo. This, however, is a matter of small importance now, as I am gratified to perceive by your omission to call on me for the aid tendered in my letter of 7th instant that you have found means to shelter the army without the assistance of the Department. Your obedient servant, J. P. BENJAMIN, Acting Secretary of War. P. S.-I am sorry to say that the Hon. R. M. T. Hunter, who tendered his services in procuring the thousand laborers for work on intrenchments mentioned in my letter of 13th ultimo, has been prevented thus far from accomplishing that object by a difficulty in the laws of Virginia. He hoped to get authority from the governor to impress free negroes, but it seems that the power for that purpose does not exist in the governor. The quartermaster is trying to get slaves, in accordance with your recent request, to work on roads in the vicinity of the camp. RICHMOND, November 18, 1861. General JOSEPH E. JOHNSTON, Centreville, Va.: It is impossible to obtain a naval officer. Every one not otherwise disposed of has been sent South. S. COOPER, Adjutant and Inspector General. RICHMOND, VA., November 18, 1861. General JOSEPH E. JOHNSTON, C. S. A., Centreville, Va.: SIR: Upon representations as to the defective construction of the batteries at and near Evansport and the hazard of bombardment by batteries recently established by the enemy on the Maryland shore, directions have been given to remove the guns to Cockpit, as recommended by General Whiting and others. It will, however, give to the enemy opportunity to make a landing at Ship Point, and thence threaten the position of General Holmes. If a large force should be landed on the Potomac below General Holmes, with a view to turn or to attack him, the value of the position between Dumfries and Fredericksburg will be so great, that I wish you to give to that line your personal inspection. With a sufficient force the enemy may be prevented from leaving his boats, should he be able to cross the river. To make the force available at either of the points which he may select, it will be necessary to improve the roads connecting the advanced posts with the armies of the Potomac and of the Aquia as well as with each other, and to have the requisite teams to move heavy guns with celerity. At Cockpit, if the topography has been correctly reported, our batteries will not be in danger of bombardment from the Maryland shore, but will be more liable to a land attack than when at Evansport; and, being farther removed from support by General Holmes, will need to have a larger garrison in the event supposed. As I notified you, unarmed troops have been sent to receive the arms in your possession, and three armed regiments have been sent to your department since my last letter to you. (The troops from Staunton may be soon expected.) We must ask of our army that it will perform such service as has distinguished it heretofore, and we hope that our just cause is safe in its keeping, though, if it were possible, I would send to you many more troops. Very respectfully, yours, General COOPER: JEFFERSON DAVIS. BROOKE'S STATION, November 18, 1861. General Whiting wishes the two other regiments forwarded. He can arm them. TH. H. HOLMES, Major-General. RICHMOND, November. 18, 1861. General T. H. HOLMES, Brooke's Station : There is but one other regiment, which will leave for Fredericksburg day after to-morrow. The other regiments have been sent to Manassas, as General Whiting, by telegraph, declined to receive them. S. COOPER, Adjutant and Inspector General. RICHMOND, November 19, 1861. General JOSEPH E. JOHNSTON, Commanding Department of Northern Virginia, Centreville: SIR: Your communications of the 14th, 15th, and 16th instants were * None of these communications found. duly received and submitted to the Secretary of War and to such department of the staff to which they related, with instructions. Your inquiries respecting unarmed regiments sent from this city to Manassas and Evansport have been answered by telegraph. The regiments as they arrive at Staunton from General Loring's command will be pushed forward to Manassas, but it is proper to state that by a letter received to-day from General Loring it is apprehended that the force from that quarter will be considerably reduced, as he remarks that his position immediately in front of the enemy cannot be weakened by the withdrawal of his troops at present. I am, very respectfully, &c., S. COOPER, Adjutant and Inspector General. HEADQUARTERS FIRST CORPS, ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Brig. Gen. N. G. EVANS, Commanding at Leesburg : GENERAL: Your letter of yesterday calling for instructions has been referred to me. None more definite can be given you than those contained in my letters of the 17th* and 30th ultimo. You must be guided by circumstances, as therein referred to. Should you be able to dispute successfully with your present force the passage of the Potomac by the enemy, you are expected necessarily to do so, for which purpose you must have your brigade properly distributed at or about Leesburg, retreating only before a very superior force, which you will endeavor to stop as long as practicable at Carter's and Ball's Mills; from there you will, if overpowered, either join us here or fall back on Manassas via Sudley Spring (according to circumstances), where you will also endeavor to make as long a stand as possible. But you must keep yourself well posted as to the movements and intentions of the enemy, and harass your troops as little as practicable by marches and countermarches. You should leave, under proper guard, at or about Carter's Mill all the heavy baggage not already sent back to Manassas and not required by your brigade in a more advanced position. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, G. T. BEAUREGARD, General S. COOPER: HUNTERSVILLE, November 19, 1861. GENERAL: Has my letter of the 9th instant been received, and does Special Orders, No. 222 [November 14], contemplate a further withdrawal from the Huntersville line? Notwithstanding my report therein, at least two regiments will be detached immediately from the Monterey line. W. W. LORING, * See Beauregard's report of engagement at Ball's Bluff, p. 347. Brig. Gen. W. W. LORING, RICHMOND, November 20, 1861. Commanding, &c., Huntersville, Va.: GENERAL: I have received your telegram of the 19th instant, and, referring to your letter of the 9th, I have to inform you that Special Orders, No. 222, was not intended to control your discretion in retaining such amount of force as you might find necessary for defensive purposes, &c., but only to make provision for such regiments as you might send from your command to Staunton. It is hoped you may yet be enabled to spare some troops from your command after making all your arrangements; but of this you must judge for yourself. Troops are much wanted both at Manassas and in the Valley District, commanded by Major-General Jackson; but other points must be looked to as well. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, S. COOPER, Adjutant and Inspector General. HEADQUARTERS VALLEY DISTRICT, Hon. J. P. BENJAMIN, Secretary of War: SIR: I hope you will pardon me for requesting that at once all the troops under General Loring be ordered to this point. Deeply impressed with the importance of absolute secrecy respecting military operations, I have made it a point to say but little respecting my proposed movements in the event of sufficient re-enforcements arriving; but since conversing with Lieut. Col. J. T. L. Preston, upon his return from General Loring, and ascertaining the disposition of the general's forces, I venture to respectfully urge that after concentrating all his troops here an attempt should be made to capture the Federal forces at Romney. The attack on Romney would probably induce McClellan to believe that the Army of the Potomac had been so weakened as to justify him in making an advance on Centreville; but should this not induce him to advance, I do not believe anything will during. the present winter. Should the Army of the Potomac be attacked, I would be at once prepared to re-enforce it with my present volunteer force, increased by General Loring's. After repulsing the enemy at Manassas, let the troops that marched on Romney return to the valley, and move rapidly westward to the waters of the Monongahela and Little Kanawha. Should General Kelley be defeated, and especially should he be captured, I believe that by a judicious disposition of the militia, a few cavalry, and a small number of field pieces, no additional forces would be required for some time in this district. I deem it of very great importance that Northwestern Virginia be occupied by Confederate troops this winter. At present it is to be presumed that the enemy are not expecting an attack there, and the resources of that region necessary for the subsistence of our troops are in greater abundance than in almost any other season of the year. Postpone the occupation of that section until spring, and we may expect to find the enemy prepared for us and the resources to which I have referred greatly exhausted. I know that what I have proposed will be an arduous undertaking and cannot be accomplished without the sacri * Letter of 9th not found. |