In all future inspection of the troops under your command, the above decision will apply, and the officer making such inspections will be governed by the provisions of General Orders, Numbers 126, with the latitude expressed herein.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General.

Statement showing the number of men composing the Army of the Potomac on the 20th day of October, 1862.

Aggregate Aggrega-

Aggregate on Aggregate te

present special absent. present

for duty. duty,sick and

and in absent.

arrest.

Major-General

McClellan and 1,655 327 921 2,903

staff, &c.

General Reynolds, 17,810 3,554 13,994 35,358

First Corps.

General F. J.

Porter, Fifth 18,042 3,955 8,707 30,704

Corps.

General Franklin, 27,794 4,292 11,319 43,405

Sixth Corps.

General Buford,

cavalry and horse 6,724 897 3,290 10,911

artillery.

Colonel Allen, 1,086 455 778 2,319

Frederick City.

Colonel Murphy, 329 54 74 457

Boonsborough.

General Burnside,

Defenses of

Harper's Ferry, 60,003 12,883 33,055 105,941

including the

Second, Ninth, and

Twelfth Corps.

General Banks,

Defenses of 73,593 15,881 19,137 108,611

Washington.

Grand total. 207,036 42,298 91,275 340,609

ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, Washington, D. C., February 27, 1863.

It is hereby certified that the preceding statement is accurately compiled from the morning report of the 20th day of October, 1862, signed by Major-General McClellan and his assistant adjutant-general, Seth Williams, and now on file in this office.

L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEFENSES OF HARPER'S FERRY, Pleasant Valley, Md., October 20, 1862.

Brigadier General G. W. CULLUM,
Chief of Staff, Headquarters Army:

GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 4th instant, and, in accordance with your request, beg to inclose copy of General Orders, Numbers 16, issued by me at Aquia Creek.

This order was issued in accordance with orders received by me either verbally or by telegraph; if by telegraph, a copy may be found on file in the telegraph office at your headquarters. I arrived in Washington the morning after issuing the order, and, after a conversation with General Meigs, and, I think, the General-in-Chief, it was decided that the wharves and buildings should not be destroyed, but that everything movable that we were compelled to leave should be. I at once telegraphed to that effect to Colonel Welsh, in command of Aquia Creek, but he did not receive the telegram, and obeyed the original order. Everything was taken away that he had transportation for, and I am