was obliged to refuse my repeated applications to him for trains to move my timber as required.

A few days since, however, I was assured that proper facilities would be extended to me for the prosecution of the work, by placing a construction train at my disposal, and I have now resumed operations, and expect to have all the block-houses completed in a short time.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ELIAS M. GREENE,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Chief Q. M., Dept. of Washington.

[Inclosure C.]

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF WASHINGTON,
OFFICE OF CHIEF QUARTERMASTER,

Washington, D. C., October 3, 1863.

Lieutenant Colonel J. H. TAYLOR,

Chief of Staff, and Assistant Adjutant-General:

COLONEL: I have the honor to state, in answer to your inquiries, that in the raids mentioned by you as occurring from September 8 to October 1, inclusive, none of the public property for which I am accountable was captured or destroyed by the enemy. Its safety has been secured, no doubt by proper precautions on my part, as my orders are not to allow a train of wagons to go beyond the defenses proper without applying for a sufficient military guard for the same, which has been always granted to me.

On one of the occasions referred to (September 28), 8 mules which had been transferred to the authorities managing the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, by Captain Ferguson, assistant quartermaster, in charge of depot at Alexandria, were captured while grazing about three-fourths of a mile from Edsall's Hill. This is the only quartermaster's property captured or destroyed in this department during the above-mentioned period, to my knowledge.

I am firmly convinced that no matter how large a force may be detailed to guard the railroads, the farmer guerrillas within our lines will find occasions when they can, with comparative safety to themselves, make a raid to plunder and destroy public property. My employes south of the Potomac are perfectly familiar with these pretended loyal and peaceable farmers, and I most respectfully, but earnestly, recommend that all such be moved to some locality where they can no longer pursue the double occupation of farming by day and plundering by night. If these doubtful characters are removed from within our lines, danger can only come from without, from larger bodies of the enemy's troops, and in such cases their movements would probably be discovered in time to frustrate their designs.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ELIAS M. GREENE,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Chief Q. M., Dept. of Washington.

CLARKSBURG, W. VA., October 4, 1863.

(Received 6. 25 p. m.)

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

From information which I deem reliable, I am satisfied that a portion of the rebel recently in Greenbrier and Pocahontas Counties