My first step, on hearing from General Sigel of the recent advance of the enemy, was to authorize and instruct that officer (whom I had been asked to retain in command at the time of my appointment) to communicate directly with you, I being too far from the scene of operations to judge of the situation or furnish the help that might be needed. It is true, I could have telegraphed many alarming rumors every hour, but it has been my practice only to forward facts within my knowledge, or that are vouched for to me from sources worthy of credit. Of reports without these requirements it seemed to me there must be already more than enough in the vicinity of Baltimore and Washington. I was, moreover, too busy in the task of pressing forward my command to give time for any labor that did not appear of public benefit. Ammunition had to be procured by direct orders from headquarters, my chief of ordnance having been sick and of but little use from the time of my assuming command. My quartermasters and commissaries were likewise inefficient to a degree; and thus it happened that, in my desire to hurry forward my command against the enemy, I had to supervise nearly every important detail myself, and to labor almost night and day in the task of forwarding troops and supplies-another point of remissness in which it seems the pleasure of the President, through General Halleck, to censure me.

The Ohio River was so low that at every shoal the troops had to be disembarked and marched along until the steamers could be "sparred" over; and at a certain stage in the river they had to be transferred to vessels of lighter draught, of which there were but few to be had. The railroad between Cumberland and Harper's Ferry was broken in many places and had to be repaired, and the troops, just back from a severe expedition, had to be refitted in almost every particular except their arms and equipments. The men, too, needed a few days' rest, and while they were taking it all their supplies were procured with unexampled celerity. I only state a literal fact in saying, that from the time I heard of the advance of the enemy down the Valley up to the present moment my troops have been flowing forward toward this point in one unbroken stream, as fast as the difficulties of the river and railroad would permit.

It has been my hope that the management of this department since my assumption of command could not merit censure. On arriving here I found the only troops available for immediate service in the field, though containing fine material, utterly demoralized and stampeded by their defeat at New Market. They were rapidly reorganized, however, and did good service. As to subsequent events in this vicinity, having no personal knowledge, I can only judge by the President's removal of Major-General Sigel from his command. For no part of the events, however, which led to General Sigel's removal to I regard myself as censurable, or even remotely implicated. I had been asked to retain him, and his rank left me no alternative but to give him the command he recently held.

Under these circumstances I cannot but feel that the action of the President in my case has been of a character to shake the confidence of my troops in me, and thereby to impair my usefulness; and as the interests of the service have ever been my highest aim to be pursued at any personal sacrifice, I have most respectfully to request that I may be relieved from command by some officer more enjoying