Abstract from Return of the Mountain Department, Major General John C. Fremont commanding, for May 10, 1862

Present for duty.

Command. Officers. Men.

Department staff 31

----------

District of the Kanawha (Cox) 348 8,001

District of Cheat Mountain (Milroy) 162 3,532

Railroad District (Kelley) 103 2,202

Schenck's brigade 93 2,242

Blenker's division 377 7,960

Total 1,114 23,937

Command. Aggregate Aggregate

present. present

and

absent.

Department staff 31 31

District of the Kanawha (Cox) 10,076 11,887

District of Cheat Mountain (Milroy) 4,317 5,809

Railroad District (Kelley) 2,417 2,573

Schenck's brigade 2,668 3,150

Blenker's division 8,797 10,443

Total 28,306 33,893

WAR DEPARTMENT,

May 11, 1862.

Major General I. MCDOWELL,

Fredericksburg:

Your telegram in relation to guerrillas received. Like pirates and buccaneers they are the common enemies of mankind, and should be hunted and shot without challenge wherever found. Such treatment would soon put a stop to the formation of guerrilla bands and to the assassination of sentinels and other barbarities practiced by those who engage in irregular warfare.

P. H. WATSON,

Assistant Secretary of War.

WASHINGTON, May 11, 1862.

Major-General MCDOWELL:

Secretary of War not yet returned from Norfolk. Is not strength of enemy's forces in your front more imaginary than real? Would they not, on a spirited demonstration by you, retreat precipitately and destroy the Mattapony and Pamunkey Bridges? Could not Gordonsville and Charlottesville by easily reached by a sudden dash of Hartsuff's forces in concert with yours, and the railroad bridges either held or broken so that could not be used by the enemy either retreating or advancing.

Your chance for independent action appears to be drawing rapidly to a close.

These inquiries, friendly and unofficial, you need not answer.

P. H. WATSON.

HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE RAPPAHANNOCK,
Opposite Fredericksburg, May 11, 1862.

P. H. WATSON,

Assistant Secretary of War:

Thank you for your friendly telegram of this morning just received. The reason I do not advance is not the strength of the enemy. I know pretty nearly what it amounts to.