orders at once. General Ricketts informed me this morning that the artillery with Christian's regiment was brought over yesterday and the regiment was to come over to-day. Nothing has been received from General Shields. There are plenty of rations here for the troops, but there was no forage this morning even for the staff horses. Some is expected. When the staff left, Major Houston, Captain Barstow, and Dr. Magruder staid behind. I shall see them at once and get their assistance, as I did not bring back any of the staff. The roads are fearful. There was a heavy rain here last night. I shall telegraph you again.

ED. SCHRIVER,

Colonel and Chief of Staff.

FRONT ROYAL, June 8, 1862.

Major-General SHIELDS, Luray:

GENERAL: I have just received a telegram from General McDowell, in which is the following:

Send word to General Shields that we shall go either to Richmond or Charlottesville via Culpeper, and to hold himself in readiness to march to Warrenton, and to send to you a memorandum of what his command for Shields division now at Front Royal either to him at once, if there is an opportunity, or brought back to Manassas, to intercept him either at Catlett's or Fredericksburg.

Please send memorandum of your wants by return messengers.

2 P. M.

I have just received telegram from General McDowell:

Send immediately to Major-General, and direct him to call in his division and march, via Warrenton, to Fredericksburg, to resume our former operations.

I shall send your ammunition from here to Catlett's, where you can get it.

ED. SCHRIVER,

Chief of Staff and Colonel.

FRONT ROYAL, VA.,

June 8, 1862.

General SHIELDS, Luray:

To-day, at 4 o'clock p. m., I sent you a communication made by order of General McDowell, who is in Washington. I send a duplicate of it by the orderly who brought your communication of this date. In passing, I will remark that the papers referred to therein as marked A and B did not accompany it. I telegraphed a synopsis of it to the general in Washington, but he will not get it in time to answer your call for the two brigades on the Luray road to support you, they being under orders now for Warrenton like yourself. As soon as possible I will lay before him the communication itself. I fear, however, that the delay occasioned by the floods has enabled Jackson to escape all our efforts. Your quartermaster, Johnson, it is reported to me, is at Piedmont, whither I have directed a telegram to be sent respecting those for your division. Hard bread is here, and your wagons have only to call for it. I do not find your commissary on the spot to see to the urging forward of it and other supplies.