each way. I have just received a report from Major Gould, in which he says:

The attack on us is not made, but there is a jubilant force near. There was a skirmish yesterday at Shepherdstown between the rebels and our troops. A canal-boat was passing at the time and 1 boatman wa mortally wounded. The Confederates seem to know our weakness in numbers, and are becoming saucy.

I am credibly informed that there are now about 6,000 troops in Jefferson County ready to push, and intend to do so, on our lines.

I received your note, and thank you for your activity in my behalf. I hope General Banks will look favorably on my petition for a field piece, for, in obedience to your orders, I do not wish to be driven from this place.

Since I wrote last night, I furnished caps to him, which I have received from Washington City and will also furnish him tose you sent me to-day.

I am making preparations to resist any attack at all hazards of to-day and have carefully noted its contents. I sincerely thank General Banks for his promptness in ordering up a couple of pieces of artillery, and the camps you sent are already on the way to the major.

In obedience to General Banks' orders, I will state that when Colonel Leonard passed this place en route to join your command on our about the 3rd instant, upon my inquiry whether he had mustered and inspected his regiment on the 31st of August, he informed me he had done so. I asked him if his regiment was sufficiently supplies with ammunition.

He informed me it was.

Upon assuming the command of the detachment under Major Gould, I directed him to keep me promptly advised of all his wants, either as to provisions or ammunition. The letter which I forwarded you this morning from him was the first intimation that the wanted caps. If I have been derelict in this matter, it certainly has been most unintentionally so, and I trust that by future attention and watchfulness to continue to merit the general's confidence, which it has been my greatest pleasure to enjoy. As to any feeling I had expressed any, for the note was a hurried one, written when just aroused from sleep, and I trust the general will overlook the whole matter.

My command is in good order and is ready and anxious to meet the enemy, and I most confidently assure you it will give a good account of itself if an opportunity is afforded. All the orders of the Major-General will be carried out to the letter. your last order to communicate daily will be strictly obeyed.

I am pushing the general's instructions with regard to Wilson as rapidly as I can.

With assurances of high regard, I am, your obedient servant,

JNO. W. GEARY,

Colonel Twenty-eighth Regiment Pa. Vols., Commanding Post.

HEADQUARTERS GENERAL BANKS' DIVISION,
Near Darnestown, Md., September 12, 1861.

Brigadier General R. B. MARCY,

Chief of Staff to General McClellan, Washington, D. C.:

SIR: Major-General Banks directs me to ask if there is any possibility of his obtaining any more artillery and cavalry for his division. He instructs me to say that he has now but eight effective pieces of artillery.