order to conduct his retreat in the direction of Harper's Ferry . Telegram was also sent at noon that day to General Tyler, as follows:

"BALTIMORE, June 14, 1863-12 p. m.

" Brigadier-General TYLER,

" Martinsburg:

" The general commanding thinks it better that your command should fall back to Harper's Ferry, and, if possible, offer relief to Milroy by the Harper's Ferry and Winchester road . Communicate this cipher to Milroy .

"By order of Major-General Schenck: "

DONN PIATT,

" Lieutenant-Colonel, and Chief of Staff .

"On the 14th, about noon, I received also from General Halleck the following:

" WAR DEPARTMENT, June 14, 1863 -10, 30 a. m.

"Major-General SCHENCK:

" It is reported that Longstreet's and Ewell's corps have passed through Culpeper to Sperryville, toward the Valley

" H. W. HALLECK,

" General-in-Chief. .

" This appeared to be a further answer to the inquiry which I had made to the General-in-Chief. on the 12th, and contained the first and only hint or intimation I had from him that any of Lee's force had gone in the direction of the Valley. Later in the day . I think, I had the two following telegrams from General Halleck and from the President:

" WAR DEPARTMENT, June 14, 1863.

" Major-General SCHENCK:

" If you have not executed my orders to concentrate your forces at Harper's Ferry, you will do so immediately . Troops, stores, &c., at New Creek, Grafton, &c., should be carried west the moment danger approaches . Unless there is a more prompt obedience of orders, there must be a change of commanders . See to this immediately .

" H. W. HALLECK,

" General-in-Chief. . "

" WAR DEPARTMENT, June 14, 1863 .

" Major-General SCHENCK:

" Get General Milroy from Winchester to Harper's Ferry, if possible . He will be gobbled up if he remains, if he is not already past salvation .

" A. LINCOLN,

" President United States . "

By the COURT:

Question. In the dispatch from the General-in-Chief., dated June 14, 1863, that officer states:

" If you have not executed my orders to concentrate your forces at Harper's Ferry, you will do so immediately. " To what orders does the General-in-Chief. refer? He also states in the same telegram, " Unless there is a more prompt obedience of orders, there must be a change of commanders . " To what commander or commanders does the general refer ; to any at Winchester or elsewhere?

Answer. I suppose to his telegram of the 11th of June, as that is the only communication from him in which he refers to Harper's Ferry or any other place as a point of concentration in case Winchester should be abandoned . But I do not admit that that telegram contains an order, but only advises a partial evacuation of Winchester, leaving enough troops there still to serve as an outpost . I do not know to what commander or commanders General Halleck meant to refer as deserving to be changed, but suppose either General Milroy or myself, or both of us. I remember looking at this sentence when it was received with some such query passing through my mind, bud I did not think that it required my attention. I was doing all I could, and suppose that General Halleck, as is often the case with all ours, was a little excited by the news he had heard.