anxiously looked for, as I am well persuaded that as soon as Scammon learns the situation, he must advance. I will do all in my power in this contingency. I repeat that I am in absolute ignorance of everything connected with affairs at Zollicoffer-have no idea of even the number of your troops. Under such circumstances you will see I have to wait direct orders from you on almost every subject, or in the exercise of my own judgment, on the reports and information fatal. You omitted in your order of the 18th to dispose of Sweeney's battalion. Where do you desire it posted?

Very respectfully, yours, &c.,

CHAS. S. STRINGFELLOW,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF WESTERN VIRGINIA,
Dublin, September 24, 1863.

Colonel JOHN McCAUSLAND,

Commanding Fourth Brigade:

COLONEL: I telegraphed you last night that I have given General Echols orders to garrison the Narrows in event of Scammon's advance, and that you could look mainly to the defense of the line west of that point.

I am trying to hurry up the cavalry regiments, but cannot hear from them yet. When the regiment ordered to you arrives, could you not hold the line you had previous to the withdrawal of the Sixtieth [Virginia Infantry]?

I am uneasy in regard to the very large force which General Kelley has at Beverly; to weaken General Echols, exposes not only Greenbrier and Monroe, but the line to Staunton also. General Lee, in all probability, has his hands full to attend to the enemy in his front.

Very respectfully,

CHAS. S. STRINGFELLOW,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA,
September 25, 1863.

General COOPER,

Adjt. and Insp. General, C. S. Army, Richmond, Va.:

GENERAL: The reports of the operaions of this army have been forwarded from time to time, as the receipt of those of subordinate officers enable me to prepare my own. It was my purpose to have them all arranged in chronological order so as to form a continuous narrative; those of 1862, extending from the battles at Richmond to the first battle at Fredericksburg, December 15, 1862, being placed together. Owiong to the manner in which they were transmitted, all of them with the exception of the reports of the battles of Sharpsburg, Boonsborough, and Harper's Ferry were addressed to you in the form of a letter, and some changes will therefore be necessary before they can be arranged in the form I desire.

During my last visit to Richmond, I caused the necessary alterations