A telegraph station at the Hanover Junction, by which we could com. municate from the Rapidan to this place without depending upon Richmond, would greatly facilitate our intercourse. I beg that it may be established without delay. Most respectfully, your obedient servant, J. E. JOHNSTON, General. FROM RICHMOND, April 4, 1862. General JOSEPH E. JOHNSTON: The movement of the troops directed from your line must immediately be made to this place. Enemy advancing in force from Old Point. By order of the President: R. E. LEE. HDQRS. SECOND DIV., DEPT. OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA, Brig. Gen. D. H. HILL, Commanding, &c.: GENERAL: The major-general temporarily commanding the army directs that you order Brigadier-General Griffith to move his brigade by railway to Richmond as rapidly as possible. Major Barbour, chief quartermaster, is directed to furnish the necessary transportation, and the brigade will move as soon as it is ready. I am further instructed to direct that you yourself proceed to Richmond for orders. I am, general, respectfully, your most obedient servant, Assistant Adjutant-General. HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF NORFOLK, General R. E. LEE, Commanding, &c.: Norfolk, Va., April 4, 1862. GENERAL: There are now mounted on the approaches to Norfolk seventeen 9-inch guns, viz: At Sewell's Point, seven; at Craney Island, seven; at Fort Norfolk, three. By replacing any of these by 32pounders these guns can be removed; for most of these guns barbette carriages have been constructed, and these carriages would be useless for 32-pounders. As regards furnishing mechanics to work for Navy Department, I referred an application of the commandant of navy-yard to Secretary of War on 29th of March, and recommended such mechanics as were necessary should be discharged from the army for carrying on the work required. I inclose you a copy of that letter. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, BENJ. HUGER, Major-General, Commanding Col. J. GORGAS, HEADQUARTERS, Richmond, Va., April 4, 1862. Chief Ordnance Bureau, Richmond, Va.: COLONEL: I have the honor to request that you will cause one 10inch columbiad, with barbette carriage, to be sent to Drewry's Bluff, and one 4.62-inch rifled siege gun to General Huger, to be placed on Nansemond River. I wish five 8-inch columbiads retained for the battery at Mulberry Island, for which casemate carriages are being provided. These carriages were promised to be done some time since. Can you not hasten their completion and send them down? I will advise you shortly of my wishes concerning the other guns on your memorandum, which I understand will be four 8-inch columbiads with barbette carriages. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Col. B. S. EWELL: R. E. LEE, General, Commanding. LEE'S MILL, April 4, 1862. Inform Col. Hill Carter by express that the enemy have advanced in force, and are at Warwick Court-House on one side and Harwood's Mill and Cockletown on the other. Press all the vehicles in the country, and send all the sick that can be safely moved to Bigler's Mill and Jamestown, to be forwarded to Richmond. Send the sick from Bigler's also to Richmond, if practicable. Place a guard of 3 men over the lighters at mouth of College Creek to ferry any troops over, or take the lighters up the creek if the enemy advance. You will make every effort possible to move the guns from the lower to the upper works at Spratley's. Move the lighter guns at all events, and have a man ready to spike the heavy guns, if it becomes absolutely necessary to do so to save them from the enemy. General Rains has been ordered to send the Logan to Bigler's to-morrow to move your sick. By command of Major-General Magruder: Lieutenant TALIAFERRO, Ordnance Officer, Williamsburg: HENRY BRYAN, Assistant Adjutant-General. HEADQUARTERS, Lee's Farm, April 4, 1862. SIR: You will send one-half of all the ammunition you have to-night without delay. Have the rest ready for issue. Tell Colonel Ewell the enemy is at Warwick Court-House in great force, and to have his men at their guns to-morrow all day, their guns loaded and pointed and all his ammunition ready. Should our men be repulsed, he must be careful not to fire upon them. Tell him to have a piece of artillery at Whitaker's Mill to cover our retreat if we should have to fall back, and that it may be in the night. The countersign to-morrow is "Weldon;" the next "Florida;" the third, "Mason." His men must remain at night sleeping on their arms in the works. The wagons will report to these headquarters, at Lee's house, with the ammunition. By order of Major-General Magruder: A. B. MAGRUDER. HEADQUARTERS, Lee's Farm, April 4 1862–12 at night. Hon. GEORGE W. RANDOLPH, Secretary of War: MY DEAR GENERAL: I think our only chance of ultimate success is by uniting Huger's army, mine, and all floating forces at once with General J. E. Johnston's army, and beating McClellan's army of the Potomac-say, if we can get together 70,000 men, we might accomplish this and return to defend Richmond in time to save it. The Virginia might be stationed in the mean time on the outside of Fort Monroe to prevent further re-enforcements to the army there, and their advance might be retarded by some 2,000 men left here, the pickets remaining the same, and the movement masked by interrupting all communications, stopping the postal channels, and putting the news. papers on a false scent or suppressing them. If we wait until his armies unite at Richmond, we cannot of course resist them together when we could not conquer one separately, and when thus united they could follow us anywhere, and defeat us more easily than any one of their armies could do it. This course has been pursued before with success; why not now? Drop me a line. In haste, yours, very truly, J. BANKHEAD MAGRUDER, Major-General, Commanding. General LEE, Richmond: HEADQUARTERS, Lee's Farm, April 5, 1862. The enemy's pickets advanced in sight of Yorktown, but it is now raining, and I think there will be no attack to-day. I have made my arrangements to fight with my small force, but without the slightest hope of success. If I am re-enforced in time with 10,000 men I think I can block the way to Richmond. J. BANKHEAD MAGRUDER, HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE PENINSULA, Col. T. G. HUNT, Mulberry Point: Lee's Farm, April 5, 1862. SIR: I am instructed by the commanding general to direct you to occupy the works at Minor's farm with all your force, including artillery. The horses of Captain Young's battery will be returned immediately. It is highly important to hold these works as long as possible. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, [HENRY BRYAN,] Assistant Adjutant-General. General R. E. LEE, C. S. A.: HEADQUARTERS, GENERAL: I have just received your telegram of yesterday in cipher. My suggestion, to which you refer, was based on the supposition that the enemy is advancing upon you. I cannot here compare the state of affairs in my front with that in front of others, and cannot, therefore, decide understandingly whether troops are less needed here than elsewhere, which seems to me to be the question. He who directs military operations upon information from every department can. The railroad is operating so slowly that there is abundant time to instruct me further. General Stuart thinks that the Federal force near Cedar Run is about 10,000 and that there is no large body of troops at Manassas. General Jackson's two last reports represent the enemy near him quiet. Your obedient servant, Hon. GEORGE W. RANDOLPH, Secretary of War: SIR: I have the honor to inclose herewith copy of a report made to me by Lieut. Commanding H. H. Lewis, in charge of the steamer Rappahannock, which vessel is actively co-operating with the army, from which you will observe that he has, upon the request of General Holmes, prepared four vessels, loading them with stone, to obstruct the Rappahannock River. Lieutenant Lewis informs me that several other vessels might be similarly prepared, and I suggest that he be authorized to take such of them as he may deem best and get them ready for the purpose. I am, respectfully, your obedient servant, S. R. MALLORY, [Inclosure.] O. S. STEAMER RAPPAHANNOCK, Hon. S. R. MALLORY, Secretary of the Navy, Richmond, Va.: SIR: In obedience to instructions from you I have afforded every assistance in my power to Captain Rootes, in getting up timber for gunboats to this place, as well as the commissary, in towing up boats loaded with grain and supplies on the Rappahannock River. Maj. Gen. Gustavus W. Smith called upon me on the 27th of March to aid him in dismantling Fort Lowry and removing the guns and public property from that place to Fredericksburg, with which I promptly complied, and saved five out of eight guns. I regret to state that a lighter was taken in tow by the steamer Vir ginia, whilst I was absent, by which we lost three fine guns, the lighter having been run under by great carelessness. *Not found. Early in March Major-General Holmes requested me to prepare some vessels as obstructions for the Rappahannock River, and I have now four ready, loaded with stones, and anchored 6 miles below this place. They will effectually block up the channel at the point where they are, but at a point lower down the river can be as well obstructed and well defended by riflemen from the high banks. I think if this point was defended the vessels had best be placed there. One or two more would then be required to fill up the channel. I would call your attention to a Baltimore schooner, recently arrived from that place, with an assorted cargo, owned by Messrs. Dubbin & Pennyman, who came over in her. I directed them to report to the Secretary of the Treasury, which they did, and a custom-house officer was placed on board. I should be pleased to know if this vessel has authority to leave our waters, as she is still in the river, and some doubts have arisen as to the reliability of the master of her. I have the pleasure to inform you that this vessel has been most usefully employed in her various duties, and every facility given me by the officers of the Army in prosecuting them. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, H. H. LEWIS, Lieutenant, Commanding, C. 8. Navy. HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE PENINSULA, Col. G. T. WARD: SIR: I am instructed by the commanding general to direct you to have all the batteries supplied with canister, and Richardson's battery with grape as well as canister. This must be your main dependence in case the enemy tries to assault you with heavy columns, which the commanding general thinks he will attempt. I am, sir, &c., HENRY BRYAN, Assistant Adjutant-General. JAMESTOWN ISLAND, April 6, 1862. Colonel EWELL, Commanding Post at Williamsburg: DEAR SIR: Upon examination I find that we have only cartridges enough to issue 15 rounds to each man. Some 1,000 of those on hand are damaged to such an extent that they are wholly unfit for use. wish you would send me 4,000, if you can possibly do so. I Yours, respectfully, J. R. C. LEWIS, Major, Commanding Post. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE PENINSULA, Col. B. S. EWELL, Williamsburg: Lee's Farm, April 6, 1862. All troops arriving at Bigler's Mill will be ordered to Lebanon Church to await orders. The troops will press on without delay, sending |