home to-morrow; others follow immediately. The enemy, from last information, are still at Winchester, and being re-enforced every night. I have asked Postmaster-General to establish post-office at Harper's Ferry. There is none at Sandy Hook.

R. PATTERSON,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF PENNSYLVANIA,
Charlestown, Va., July 19, 1861.

COLONEL: In reply to your communication of yesterday* the commanding general directs me to say that there in no intention or desire to retain the regiment beyond their term of service against the will of the members. He, however, earnestly desires and appeals to the regiment to remain a short time over its term, to enable him to relieve it without the great injury to the service resulting from the loss of a large and valuable portion of this command. The sudden depletion of this force jeopardized its safety and the interest of the country, which your regiment came out to defend, and have nobly sustained. In his appeal now to the brave he feels that sacrifices will be made till this place can be safely held and this force not be compelled to retire. Re-enforcements are promised and daily expected, and as rapidly as he can relieve every regiment which desires to go he will do so. He knows, too, that as long as danger threatens the regiment will not leave. Can you give him assurances they will remain till he can safely relieve them, which he thinks cannot exceed ten days, and may be much less?

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

F. J. PORTER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Colonel LEWIS WALLACE,

Commanding Eleventh Indiana Regiment, Camp near Charlestown, Va.

GENERAL ORDERS,
WAR DEP'T, ADJ'T-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Numbers 46.
Washington, July 19, 1861.

I. Major-General Robert Patterson, of the Pennsylvania Volunteers, will be honorably discharged from the service of the United States on the 27th instant, when his tour of duty will expire.

Brevet Major-General Cadwalader, also of the Pennsylvania Volunteers, will be honorably discharged upon the receipt of this order, as his term of service expires to-day.

II. Major-General Dix, of the United States forces, will relieve Major-General Banks, of the same service, in his present command, which will in future be called the Department of Maryland, Headquarters at Baltimore.

Upon being relieved by Major-General Dix, Major-General Banks will proceed to the valley of Virginia, and assume command of the army now under Major-General Patterson, when that department will be called the Department of the Shenandoah, headquarters in the field.

* * * * * *

By order:

L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General.

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*Not found.

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