eral on the road he was going to rest with his men at a given point. I followed up, and found them at a farmer's house at least one mile from the railroad, and found them even there without guard or order or any military precaution to prevent surprise and capture.

Under the circumstances I ordered him to proceed to my headquarters, where, on his arrival, I placed him under arrest, and his command to do duty in connection with my own, until I received further orders. I would have ordered them back to their posts and placed them under the command of some of my own officers, but not knowing what might be the probable conduct of the men under such circumstances, I adopted the one which suggested itself to me as the safest; but I must say, from my inspection of them on this morning and the conversation I had with them in relation to the affair, that they are a reliable body of men, and had no participation in the affair, except of obedience to orders of a superior.

I beg leave to transmit a report of the strength of my command as reported to me on board the steamship from New York to Annapolis, and also a report of my strength at this point.* My entire command is in a healthy condition.

Respectfully submitted.

MICHAEL CORCORAN, Colonel.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEP'T OF PENNSYLVANIA,

Numbers 23.
Philadelphia, Pa., April 29, 1861.

I. By order of the Secretary of War, the original Military Department of Washington has been broken up, and the States of Pennsylvania and Delaware and that portion of Maryland east of Bladensburg, exclusive of the country twelve miles on each side of the railroad from Annapolis to the city of Washington, formed into a new military department, called the Department of Pennsylvania, under command of Major-General Robert Patterson, headquarters Philadelphia, Pa.

* * * * * * *

By order of Major-General Patterson:

F. J. PORTER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

WASHINGTON, April 30, 1861.

Brigadier General B. F. BUTLER, &c., &c., &c.:

SIR: In a telegram from your staff officer, Major Hamilton, it is said that no more troops would be sent from Annapolis to Washington for the present. I have suggested that I wished the regiments sent here should be provided with equipments, particularly with camp equipage-tents, camp-kittles, mess-pans, &c. But we want at least eight additional regiments to give security to the capital, besides a surplus for the expedition against Baltimore. This surplus, with camp equipage, might be halted near the Junction, at the Laurel factory, with a guard at the Junction. There is, however, some hope that that expedition may not be needed to open hence the direct railroad communication, through Baltimore, with the North, as Maryland may do that voluntarily for us.

With high respect, yours, truly,

[WINFIELD SCOTT.]

---------------

*Not found.

---------------