command in the direction of the Kanawha Valley by way of the James River and Kanawha turnpike,a nd he undertook to prescribe the order of my march. I showed him that it wa impossible ot comply with his order, and asked again for wagons, with which request he could not comply. The same day, afterward's, he countermanded his orders as to the time of marching, and detached from my command all the forces not belonging to the Legion. One of my ammunition wagons was broken down, which delayed my advance at the hour ordered, but I hastened on to the front ot relieve my cavalry from where General Floyd had ordered it, and where it was in danger of being cut off. They had charged the enemy at about 1 1\2 miles beyond Piggot's, at the foot of the Saturday road, and the second encounter occurred at about 2 o'clock p. m. near Hamilton's, about half a mile this side of the Hawk's Nest. I informed Nest, and that a good force of artillery should be posted at Dogwood Gap, at the foot of the Sunday and hopping roads, and that we should advance that night. He advanced all the force of artillery should be posted at Dogwood Gap, at the foot of the Sunday and Hopping roads, and that we should advance that night. He advanced all the forces of his and my command in front of the enemy at Piggot's, near the foot of the Saturday road. What occurred there is detailed in my correspondence with General Lee, to which I will presently refer. On the 18th August I wrote to General Lee again, asking for the necessary orders defining the relations and law of the command. I beg leave to call attention to that letter and its detail of complaints. Under date of the 21st August General Lee, according to my request, issued special orders placing the Twenty-second and Twenty-third Regiments of Virginia Volunteers, subject tot he assignment of the commanding general of the Army of the Kanawha, and confirming my immediate command (that of the Wise Legion) as organized by direction of the War Department. On the evening of the 21st of August our commands were united at the foot of Gauley Mountain, where the foe was found in force; and in my letter to General Lee of August 24, 1861, you will see a detailed report of a conference between General Floyd and myself of the orders which I received to move to Carnifix Ferry, while he was to cover the front on the turnpike; he manner in which I executed the order, arriving at Carnifix on the 22nd; the manner in which his movements contradicted every conclusion of the conference; the manner in which his orders vacillated and contradicted themselves four times within forty-eight hours, and the manner in which all the baggage trains of both commands and a portion of the artillery were left by him at the mercy of the enemy.

On the 22nd August, at Carnifix, General Floyd ordered me to send him four pieces of artillery, in addition to his own two pieces; also one of my regiments, the strongest; also to send him early the next day, at 7 o'clock, 100 of my most efficient horse; and he ordered me, with the remainder of the force under my command, to take such a position as would enable me to watch the enemy and to check any advance by them. He also ordered me to forward on the regiments of Colonels Tompkins and McCausland to him, but should the force under my command, after making the above deductions, be deemed insufficient for the purpose of watching the enemy and checking his advance, I should retain under my command the regiment of Colonel Tompkins. After writing the above he added that, on conference with Colonel Tompkins. After writing the above he added that, on conference with Colonel Hetch, he was induced to recall his request for one of my regiments. He would try to make good his position with his on force and with my guns. In lieu of the regiment he asked only for 100 horse.

Leaving him a corps of artillery, with three pieces,a nd 100 horse, I marched back to Dogwood Gap, to which place he addressed the spe-