[Indorsements.]

There is a regiment at Dublin Station. Shall it be ordered to Pack's Ferry? There are numerous stores also at Dublin. Armistead's regiment is available.

Respectfully,

R. H. CHILTON,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

RICHMOND, VA., January 25, 1862.

Colonel WILLIAM E. PETERS, Commanding, Dublin Station, Va.:

Move up immediately to Pack's Ferry, with nine companies, to oppose advance of the enemy in that direction, leaving the tenth company to guard stores at Dublin. Advise Colonel Jenifer, Eight Cavalry, of your movements.

S. COOPER.

WAR DEPARTMENT, C. S. A.,

Richmond, Va., January 25, 1862.

General JOSEPH E. JOHNSTON,

Commanding Department of Northern Virginia, Centreville, Va.:

SIR: I am in receipt of your letter of the 18th instant. I regret that there should have been any delay in your receipt of General Orders, Numbers 1 [of 1st instant], relative to the bounty and re-enlistment law. In order to prevent this delay I had myself inclosed to your address a copy of the circular letter prepared four use in my correspondence, and General Cooper had mailed to your address the general order referred to, of which I now inclose another copy.

In relation to the time when the furloughs are to be granted, the VIIIth paragraph of the general order gives such instructions as were deemed prudent. I could not undertake to determine when and in what numbers the furloughs could be safely granted. I am aware that your solicitude for the safety of your command must necessarily embarrass you in giving furloughs in large numbers at present; ut at the same time I beg you to observe that the eager desire for a furlough during the inclement season will form the strongest inclement for your men, and thus afford the best guarantee of you having under your orders a large force of veteran troops when active operations recommence.

It seems scarcely possible that in the present condition of the roads an attack can be make; and it is surely better to run a little risk now than to meet the certain danger of finding a large body of your men abandoning you at the expiration of their terms, now nearly about to expire. There is danger on both sides, i admit; but the hazard is the inevitable of our comparative weakness in available resources.

I will order up a few regiments of unarmed men, who can be drilling and exercising with the arms of furloughed men, and whom you will be able to make available, to some extent, while your best troops are dimished in number. All I can say beyond what is contained in the general order is to advise, very urgently,that you go to the extreme verge of prudence in tempting your twelve-month's men by liberal furloughs, and thus secure for yourself a fine body of men for the spring operations. The rest I must leave to your judgment. I need not add that you can much better hazard furlough now than later, and.