officers of my command to form a court-martial to try him. I shall resist this order, firstly, because the White Sulphur is not a place within the bounds of his command, being subject alone to your orders; secondly, because he (General Floyd) has no right to arrest an officer of my Legion at the White Sulphur by an order issued by him at Carnifix, without passing the order through me and affording opportunity for inquiry into the cause by me; thirdly, because the alleged offense has not been inquired into at all, and is believed to be a mistake founded on a desire to do duty promptly and to place the guns in service; and, fourthly, because the gun is just as probably belonging to my command as to General Floyd's. For these reasons I shall dispatch counter orders to those of General Floyd as to the arrest. As to the gun, I shall order it to be delivered to General Floyd or his command if his, and ot be brought to me if intended for the Legion. I state these matters in order that you may interpose your authority in good season, deeply regretting to be compelled to trouble you with these annoyances of mine so repeatedly.

I am, with the highest respect, your obedient servant,

HENRY A. WISE,

Brigadier-General.

P. S.-Since writing the above Colonel Tompkins has shown to me the inclosed letter, and begs me to add that he could not enter into particulars, for want of time, on the eve of his march; but to say that you may be assured that there is the most disheartening discontent among men and officers with the orders of General Floyd. It extends so far as to threaten both his and my commands, and we concur in the earnest wish and prayer to be separated at once from General floyd's sickness and other causes we are both reduced to one-half our original numbers. General Floyd now has, and has coming very near to him first, his force with which he arrived at White Sulphur, 1,200; McCausland's State volunteers, 400; another regiment of his regiment of his brigade, 400; two full regiments, nearly here, from Georgia and North Carolina, 1,600; Generals Chapman's and Beckley's militia, 2,000. In all, besides Tompkins' and mine 5,600. The Legion has, for present service, effective infantry, 1,200; artillery, 250; cavalry, 350; and Tompkins has about 400. Total, 2,200.

Cavalry is of no use here. Tompkins is now ordered away, and I have but 1,800 men to guard Dogwood Gap and four other principal points, especially the Hawk's Nest, Miller's Ferry, Liken's Mill, and the Saturday road. If I send a regiment to re-enforce Carnifix, I must fall back and lose the quick communication with Chapman and Beckley, while General Floyd is impregnably entrenched with a force of over 4,000 men. This, too, is required when by his falling back this side of Gauley 250 men would defend Carnifix against thousands.

Colonel Tomplins' men are loyal and true, and from the valley, and if we are ordered to cross New River and to penetrate Kanawha Valley below, we can best co-operate with General Floyd and relieve him. He will need relief if he does not enlarge his ferry. I unite, then, in asking that Colonel Tompkins may be incorporated in my Legion, and that we may be ordered to part from Colonel Floyd to the south side of Kanawha. Boone Court-House is just burned, except on eatable. We are badly treated, and I protest against the command as it now stands.

HENRY A. WISE,

Brigadier-General.