CASTLEWOOD, RUSSELL COUNTY, VA., September 7, 1862.

Honorable GEORGE W. RANDOLPH:

DEAR SIER: I have pushed forward my little column as rapidly as practicabvlr since you gave me the permission to move. The Firfty- fourth Virginia Volunteers yesterday passed this point. I8 hsall leave here this morning for the front, and before I do 9I have supposed it might be proper to advise you of my strength, as well as of some facts that have materially impaired my actual strnght. This is an accurate statement of mya ctual strength, or sufficiently near for all practical purposes.

Infantry:

Fifty- fourth Virginia, Trigg, colonel, rank and file...... 750

Twenty- ninth Virginia, Moore, colonel..................... 300

Twenty- first Virginia Battalion, Slemp, lieutenant- colonel250

Forty- third Tennessee, Gillespie, colonel................. 700

Fifth Kentucky, May, colonel............................... 750

2,750

Within the past four or five days severqal hundered of the Virginians have run off. It is hoped by Colonel Moore they will overtake the column in a week or two, but I make no calculations upon tem. The Twenty- ninth Virginia was, one week ago, more than 700 strong for duty and present in cmap; two days ago it marched, as stated above, the colonel absent for a week on important private business, the lieutenant- colonel absent, the major resigned. I moved it forward under the senior captain. The major 0lainly confessed his want of qualifications to coammand, and I agreed with him and thought it was manly in him to speak out and offer his resignation, which I sent forward. Should Colonel Moore's idea prove correct and should a part of the regiment retun, my infantry force may be calculated at 3,000 to start upon. The Forty- third Tennessee was lent to me by General Kirby Smith only for this expedition, and does not properly belong to my command. Ihave of artillery, Jeffress' battery, 6 pieces; Davidson's battery, 4 pieces; Leyden's battalion, 12 pieces; mountin howitzers (Trigg), 2. Leyden's battalion is to be armed in two companies with the rifles, and is a fine body of about 500 men; Jeffress has 125 men, Davidson 100; total, 725. The disproportion of artillery to infantry will disappear as the recruiting goes on in Kentucky. I am not regretful that it exists at present, because the excess of artillery will even at present be made useful in holding a central positinwith a small infanrtry force, while that whch can move in the field will be aout right. As I form brigades of infantry I shall attach the fild batteries to them.

The mounted fore is-

Kentcky rfle battalion.......................... 350

Virginia rifle battalion........................ 300

Shawhan's cavlry................................ 200

Caldwell's company.............................. 30

880

Infantry, 2,750, say.......................... 3,000

Artillery..................................... 725

Mounted rifles................................ 650

Cavalry, 230, say............................. 250

4,625

Add Trigg's Partisan Ranger Corps............. 400

5,025