HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF WESTERN VIRGINIA,
Dublin, May 16, 1863.

Brigadier-General ECHOLS:

Your letter and telegram of 15th instant received. If W. E. Jones and Imboden have not reached Lewisburg when you receive this, send courier to meet them, countermand the order I gave in my letter of the 14th instant, and order them with their commands to or near Lewisburg. Written instructions for both of them go by courier to-day. I will, if practicable, be in Lewisburg Monday night.

SAM. JONES,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF WESTERN VIRGINIA,
Dublin, May 16, 1863.

General W. E. JONES:

GENERAL: A telegram of this date from the Secretary of War directs that you and Brigadier-General Imboden return to the Valley of Virginia and report to General Lee.

You will accordingly do so as soon as your command is in condition to move. A telegram from Brigadier-General Echols, received to-day, informs me that you would probably arrive at Lewisburg with your command to-morrow.

Your command will, no doubt, require some rest in Greenbrier before starting for the Valley, and as I except to be in Lewisburg Monday night, the 18th instant, I expect to meet you there or somewhere in Greenbrier.

I am not fully informed of the result of your expedition, but I have heard enough to justify me in congratulating you on your success, which I do not with great pleasure.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

SAM. JONES,

Major-General.

FREDERICKSBURG,

May 18, 1863.

Honorable JAMES A. SEDDON, Secretary of War:

Milroy, with a brigade of infantry, cavalry, and artillery, and a train of wagons, entered Front Royal on yesterday, and marched toward Flint Hill, probably to unite with Hooker. Please expedite troops from North Carolina. order the cavalry direct to Culpeper, to General Stuart.

R. E. LEE,

General.

WAR DEPARTMENT, C. S. A.,

Richmond, May 19, 1863.

General R. E. LEE, Fredericksburg, Va.:

We will expedite troops as far as possible, causing some to march, and sending other by rail, as ar as the necessary transportation supplies will allow. Two regiments of cavalry, on the way, have been diverted, by express, direct to Culpeper. The residue arriving will march there also.

J. A. SEDDON,

Secretary of War.