HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE KANAWHA,
Camp Six miles west of Meadow Bluff, Va., August 15, 1861.

Brigadier General HENRY A. WISE, White Sulphur Springs, Va.:

SIR: Your favor of yesterday, informing me of the inability of your quartermaster to procure wagons, & c., enough for your march, and requesting me to send you all the wagons I can spare, has been received. In reply, I have to say that I would take great pleasure in hastening your march to join me, by sending you the necessary transportation, were I able to do so. I have sent quite a number of wagons to Jackson's River to transport subsistence stores for my men from that point. I have a considerable number of men not able to march and not sick enough for the hospital. These must have transportation. I have left at Camp Arbuckle, near Lewisburg, the tents of my people, because of the appropriation, for the purposes just stated, of the wagons intended for their transportation. These causes, I regret to say, place it out of my power to comply with your request.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN B. FLOYD.

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, VA., August 15, 1861.

General R. E. LEE, Commanding, & c.:

SIR: I thank you, sir, for your approval of my endeavors to obey your orders to look to the safety of my command and the proper plans of defense; and I am especially thankful for the promise of your influence to aid me in obtaining good small-arms and for instructions as to requisitions, & c. The ammunition for my howitzer came yesterday, and this morning at 4 a. m. I moved a corps of artillery, with eight pieces, a howitzer, and three 6-pounders, with three companies, under Colonel Gibbs, and three regiments of infantry of my Legion (in all about 2,000 men), to join General Floyd at Meadow Bluff this evening. My corps of cavalry, 50 strong, and 50 artillery, with two pieces, of the State volunteers, are already there, and of the State volunteer cavalry two companies will join him to-day or to-morrow, making my re-enforcements to him about 2,600. His whole force I understand to be but 1,200 all told, making the joint force by to-night 3,800 troops. This is enough to check the enemy until I can have the two State volunteer regiments, now reduced to about 1,200, got ready for marching orders. They are without shoes, tents, clothing, and ammunition, and the measles is ragging among them, and cases for the hospital multiplying daily. I leave Colonel Tompkins here in my command, who will report to you, by my orders, my instructions to him, and explain their import. I regret to say that there is a manifest disposition to mutilate my command. General Floyd asked me when here to transfer the State volunteers to his brigade. I declined, both for want of authority and inclination. Since then his orders have been almost peremptory to send one of the regiments to him, which is totally unfit for service in every respect. Colonel Tompkins is faithfully trying to have it ready and efficient. They were the men who guarded Tyler's Mountain and fought at Scarey unpaid, unclothed, unattended, and have kept the field among deserters. I am obliged, in duty to them, to fit them for the field before they march again. Certain influences have crept in among their officers, and I fear that secret applications have been entertained to have them transferred. I beg you will protect hearty co-operation against any such attempts, which I shall firmly, but calmly, resist to the utmost of my authority. I rely upon you, sir, to interpose admonition to all in time. I protest.