more. Gets no answer. The muskets sent to Kentucky are unsafe and demoralize the troops. Proposed to alter them, but received no answer. Ought to be replaced at once.

D. C. BUELL,

Brigadier-General.

WASHINGTON, February 10, 1862-7 p.m.

Brigadier General D. C. BUELL, Louisville:

Dispatch received. It contains the first intimation I have had of character of arms. I will take immediate steps to remedy the evil. Communicate your wants direct to me. Reports to bureaus are apt to be buried.

GEO. B. McCLELLAN.

HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH BRIGADE,
Camp Buell, February 10, 1862

Captain J. B. FRY,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

SIR: Your letters of 20th and 24th* were received on the 4th instant, and on the same day seven companies of Colonel Lindsey's regiment, which had been left at Louisa, moved up the river to Piketon, being joined at this place by three companies already here. At my request Colonel J. A. J. Lightburn, of the Fourth Virginia Regiment, stationed at Ceredo, sent two companies to Louisa to protect our stores there, allowing the whole of Colonel Lindsey's command to move together. I have also sent the Fortieth Ohio Infantry and one company of McLaughlin's cavalry forward to Piketon. The Forty-second Ohio and the remaining company of McLaughlin's cavalry will move forward to-morrow.

In order to protect my flank in this forward movement I sent Lieutenant-Colonel Letcher of the First Kentucky Cavalry with his command on the 31st ultimo, to West Liberty, with instructions to keep up a series of scouting expeditions in that vicinity and towards Whitesburg and Piketon, and keep me informed of all movements of the enemy in that direction, and also to suppress any uprising in Magoffin and neighboring counties.

I communicated with General Rosecrans to ascertain whether any part of his command was in position to protect my left flank, and whether he had any communication with the Ohio River. In a letter bearing date February 4 he informed me that a detachment of his force is at Raleigh, Va., and he hopes to advance his lines within the next four weeks.

I have left the Fourteenth Kentucky at this point to guard our stores. We have used every available means to bring our supplies up the river, and several hundred tons are now here.

Colonel Marshall, of the Sixteenth Kentucky, reported to me by a special messenger on the 29th ultimo. I ordered him immediately to put his command in readiness to join me. He has ot yet reported himself in readiness to move.

From scouts sent out by Colonel Lindsey since he reached Piketon the report is confirmed that at least one of the Virginia regiments has

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*Not found.

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