WASHINGTON, May 9, 1861.

Major General R. PATTERSON, U. S. A.,

Commanding, &c., Philadelphia, Pa.:

SIR: The letter of General Cadwalader, dated May 4, with inclosure, on the subject of defective arms and deficient equipments, has been referred to the Colonel of Ordnance. Premising that circumstances entirely beyond the control of the existing government conspired to produce the unfortunate state of affairs represented, I will now communicate to you the remarks of the present Chief of the Ordnance Bureau, for the purpose of showing that it was beyond his power to avoid the inconvenience referred to by General Cadwalader.

ORDNANCE OFFICE, May 8, 1861.

The arms within referred to were issued in compliance with an order of 19th April, 1861, to the commanding officer of Frankford Arsenal by telegraph, per the Ordnance Office, to issue to General Patterson 5,000 smooth-bore muskets. The number of these arms at the arsenal was just 5,000, and no more or no other arms could possibly be issued. When, as in this case, and probably in many others, under the present excitement and pressure, the very best is done that the utmost industry and energy of officers can accomplish with the available means of the Government, such charges as the within are cruel and unjust. This department, and every officer in it, is just as anxious to supply the best arms to all the troops as thy are to get them, but it is simply impossible to do so now.

Respectfully returned.

JAS. W. RIPLEY,

Lieutenant-Colonel Ordnance.

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

E. D. TOWNSEND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

WASHINGTON, May 9, 1861-1.30 p. m.

Mr. WILLIAM PRESCOTT SMITH,

Master of Transportation, Baltimore, Md.:

A telegram from General patterson last evening says Colonel Patterson's regiment, seven hundred and seventy-five aggregate and Sherman and Shepherd will be in Perryville to-night and off in the morning.

Another telegram just received from Sherman at Perryville says the whole force leaves for Washington this moment. Sherman's command is a light battery with, say, seventy horse, and six guns, besides six ammunition carriages, and his and Shepherd's command have a little less than six hundred men, say, in all, thirteen hundred and fifty men. If all cannot be accommodated in one trip, the surplus may either encamp near Fort McHenry or come by the Washington depot.

By command of General Scott:

E. D. TOWNSEND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. FIRST DIVISION PA. VOLS.,
Philadelphia, Pa., May 9, 1861.

Major F. J. PORTER,

Asst. Adjt. General, Hdqrs Dep't of Pennsylvania:

MAJOR: I inclose report from Captain T. H. Neill, U. S. Army, that Colonel Lyle's muskets are entirely unserviceable. Captain Neill is now inspecting the arms of Colonel Lewis' regiment, and will then in-