also of infantry, you would be able, by causing mounted patrols say of ten men each, passing from Millersville to Annapolis and from Millersville to Annapolis Junction, to secure the police of the road, especially as it has to be passed over by working parties after each heavy train to repair breaks, &c.-be enabled to concentrate at such points as you may deem expedient, say either the Junction or Annapolis, the small detachments of the Fifth New York, now strung along the road; by which means the discipline of the troops may be improved and the opportunities for irregularities lessened. These are only suggestions. General Scott does not desire houses to be purchased for this service, but if not already at Annapolis, horses may be expected to arrive from day to day, or the men attached to battery of Sixth and Eighth New York might be detailed for this service. The Chief of the Quartermaster's Department sees no objection for this use of the number of horses specified from those of his department should they be on hand or arrive. The details of this arrangement, if it meet with your approval, are left entirely to your discretion. This is a letter of suggestions, not orders, so far as relates to this matter.

The General-in-Chief desires you, as Baltimore is within your department, to issue an order to Lieutenant Thomas Grey, Second Artillery, now discharging the duties of acting assistant commissary of subsistence at Baltimore, to perform the duties of acting assistant quartermaster at the same point.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

SCHUYLER HAMILTON,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Military Secretary.

RELAY HOUSE, May 11, 1861.

The SECRETARY OF WAR:

From the dispatch I received from Captain Hamilton I fear that in the haste to inform you of the capture of the steam gun I may have laid myself open to the censure of having claimed more credit than belonged, therefore beg leave to briefly state the facts, viz:

Yesterday I received information of the gun having left Baltimore. I immediately informed Colonel Lyons, who was left in command of the brigade by General Butler, of the rumor. He deemed it unreliable, and not worthy of notice. I did not have full confidence in the report, but still thought it of sufficient importance to be looked after. It was finally decided to send one company from Colonel Lyons' regiment, one from my command, and two pieces from the light artillery. I arranged for a train (by seizure), and had embarked the light artillery with their horses and the company from my command, and started the train. When the company from Colonel Lyons appeared I stopped the train, and they went aboard. R. R. Hare, esq., a gentleman connected with General Butler's staff, volunteered and went forward on horseback, and overtook the gun, which was in the charge of two men, and captured it alone, and with the assistance of the neighbors held it until the arrival of the train. It has been brought into camp, and I shall set some machinist at work to-day to get some knowledge of it.

Your obedient servant,

EDWARD F. JONES,

Colonel Sixth Massachusetts.