[CHAP. XXXI.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE OHIO,
Cincinnati, Ohio, October 7, 1862.

Major General JACOB D. COX,

Commanding District of West Virginia, Point Pleasant, Va.:

GENERAL: I telegraphed to you yesterday in regard to the force assembled in Western Virginia, on the supposition that you were already at Point Pleasant, or would soon arrive there. It appears, however, from later advices, that you cannot reach that point before to-morrow. You will find on your arrival at Point Pleasant upward of 20,000 men, while there are at Clarksburg some 2,700, besides, 1,800 for guarding the railroad between Grafton and Parkersburg.

General Milroy's brigade was stopped at Parkersburg, with the view of sending it back to Clarksburg, where I proposed forming a column to operate, via Summerville, in conjunction with another from Point Pleasant; but after waiting twenty-four hours for instructions from the General-in-Chief, and learning from General Milroy that he was without transportation, I instructed him to proceed to Point Pleasant, as directed in his orders from Washington. You will, therefore, find him at that point with his command.

Any operations from Point Pleasant alone up the valley of the Kanawha can result only in driving the rebel forces out of it, without necessarily any decisive result, while a second column from Clarksburg might enable us to operate on their rear and cut off their retreat. It may be too late in the season, however, to organize this second column and get it into the field before the weather and roads become bad. This question should be decided at once, and you will please give it immediate consideration. Should it be determined to operate on the line of the Kanawha Valley alone, you will have more troops than you will require, and any surplus will be brought here to join the Army of Kentucky. I am in hopes you will be able to spare the entire brigade of Brigadier General George W. Morgan, replacing them, if necessary, with a few new regiments. If you operate on the double lines, you may need them all.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. G. WRIGHT,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
October 8, 1862-8.50 a.m.

Major General H. W. HALLECK, General-in-Chief:

I move headquarters to vicinity of Harper's Ferry this morning. Burnside's corps moved there yesterday. Cox's division starts this morning for its destination.

GEO. O. McCLELLAN,

Major-General.

WASHINGTON, D. C.,

October 8, 1862-4.50 p.m.

Major-General McCLELLAN, Harper's Ferry:

General Banks has been absent from the city to-day. I hope to see him this evening in regard to the kind of re-enforcements to be sent to you.

H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief.