BRIGADE HEADQUARTERS,

Camp at Monterey, July 20, 1861.

Lieutenant Colonel Z. T. CONNER,

Commanding Twelfth Georgia Regiment:

SIR: The general desires me to say, in response to your favor of this date, that he does not expect you to hold a position determined to be wholly indefensible. You will therefore take some point convenient to water from which you can readily retreat, and, in case you be apprised by Major Jones, who should always be kept in your advance and near to the enemy, of any formidable advance, you will at once put your wagons upon the move and contend with the enemy from point to point on the road where your men can annoy him with least exposure to themselves, making such use of Lieutenant Massey's artillery as the nature of the ground may permit. The general supposes that with the cavalry corps in your front and the militia rifles scouting about your flanks, and due vigilance in the discharge of ordinary guard duty, your command will not be in danger of surprise. And the character of the roads from your position to Monterev is such as to render it impossible for the enemy to bring any large force to bear against you. He, however, desires that you shall keep up a frank and constant communication with him, and to realize that while he hopes that you may effect something in resisting the advance of the enemy, he does not desire your command to be too much exposed.

By order of Brigadier General H. R. Jackson, commanding.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GARNETT ANDREWS,

Second Lieutenant and Aide-de-Camp, Actg. Asst. Adjt. General

[2.]

STAUNTON, VA., July 20, 1861.

Lieutenant Colonel GEORGE DEAS, Assistant Adjutant-General:

COLONEL: I have the honor to report that in obedience to orders received from the commanding general on yesterday I at once assumed command of the troops here. The Arkansas regiment, Colonel Rust, left for Monterey soon after my arrival. This morning I dispatched my own regiment, the Twenty-first, and Colonel Burks', the Forty-second, for the same point, and this afternoon the battalion of provisional troops, mounted. Captain Marye's guns and harness are here. As soon after the arrival of the men and horses as possible the battery will join General Jackson. I shall join my command at Buffalo Gap to-night. Our forces are all, or nearly all, at Monterey, I learn, and I am informed that there is some disorganization among them. I wish respectfully to call the attention of the commanding general to the facts that the quartermaster's and commissary supplies are inadequate to the demand, and that there is a great deficiency in ammunition. I consider it absolutely necessary that the requisitions for ammunition for the troops in this region should be filled at once.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WILLIAM GILHAM,

Colonel of Volunteers.

[2.]

HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY STATION, July 20, 1861.

General H. R. JACKSON,

Commanding Forces at Monterey:

SIR: I find great difficulty in operating with my militia company. They complain already of beig broken down, lame, &c., and they are