Abstract from Consolidated Morning Report of the Second Division, Third Army Corps, Army of Virginia, Brigadier General James B. Ricketts commanding, for August 9, 1862.

Present for duty

Command Officers Men Present for

duty equipped

Staff 6 ..... 6

Artillery

(Tillson's) 15 384 399

1st Maine

Cavalry 24 468 492

Kane's Rifle

Battalion 9 182 191

1st Brigade

(Duryea's) 107 2,125 2,232

2nd Brigade

(Tower's) 116 2,344 2,460

3rd Brigade

(Hartsuff's) 111 2,661 2,772

4th Brigade

(Carroll's) 94 1,488 1,582

Total 482 9,652 10,134

Command Aggregate Aggregate Pieces of

present present and field

absent artillery

Staff 6 6 .....

Artillery

(Tillson's) 421 487 22

1st Maine

Cavalry 531 701 .....

Kane's Rifle

Battalion 202 333 .....

1st Brigade

(Duryea's) 2,371 3,131 .....

2nd Brigade

(Tower's) 2,704 3,098 .....

3rd Brigade

(Hartsuff's) 2,926 3,487 .....

4th Brigade

(Carroll's) 1,739 2,793 .....

Total 10,900 14,036 22

FLAT TOP, August 9, 1862-8 p. m.

Major-General POPE,

Culpeper Court-House:

Your dispatch received. We have had skirmishes with the enemy within three days at different points from Greenbrier River around our front to Wyoming and Logan Court-Houses, on rear of our right. Their activity has forced me to send detachments to Guyandotte and all the places above named.

As two or three days must elapse before these can be got in, I take the liberty of stating some facts which may modify your determination as to the route I shall take. The enemy fully equal my force, and, keeping behind the barriers of the mountains, of which the defiles are fortified, send guerrilla parties in every direction, and keep posted as to our smallest movements. From the time we start our course would be known and telegraphed to Gordonsville; we cannot move in secret. The distance by the roads from here to Culpeper is 220 miles, and traveling 15 miles a day, without rest or detention, except two days in crossing New River, it will take seventeen days. We should, however, be harassed by Loring's army on our backs, and, as we should go a long distance parallel to the railroad, may be met by a force in front or flank. From the time of starting we should be cut off from all communication with you or with hospitals for our sick, and have only such information as we could gain in a hostile country. The probable detections by fighting the enemy would increase this time to three weeks.

We can reach you by the river and rail in more than a week less time. By the former route I fear the army would be badly reduced by hard marching and bad diet during so long a time, to say nothing of the strictly military risks. By the latter route it would come to you fresh.

As an economy of time, men, and means, I respectfully suggest the change of route. If matters here would permit me to start at once I should not venture these suggestions, but as we must use some time in clearing the front of guerrillas and making necessary preparations I hope I shall not be thought to act improperly.

The country for the first hundred miles is desperately rough. I know nothing of the rest.

J. D. COX,

Brigadier-General.