of this date, General Cadwalader will proceed with his command to Washington City.

By order of Major-General Patterson:

F. J. PORTER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

WASHINGTON, May 14, 1861.

General PATTERSON, Philadelphia:

Your telegram of this date is received. It is not known what reason you can have had for sending more troops to Fort McHenry. The garrison is supposed to be amply sufficient, and no more can be accommodated. Let the troops come as at first ordered. Baltimore is within General Butler's department.

By command of Lieutenant-General Scott:

E. D. TOWNSEND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

PHILADELPHIA, PA., May 14, 1861.

To the ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL,

Headquarters of the Army, Washington City:

SIR: This instant (4.30 p. m.) I received your telegram of this date stating the General-in-Chief knows no cause for sending as I did troops to Fort McHenry, &c. Explanation, additional to that of this morning (copy herewith), it now respectfully presented.

In the absence of more direct information, the call of General butler direct upon Major-General Keim, at York, appeared so urgent that I should have been derelict in duty if I had failed to respond in the most effective manner, i. e., by sending direct from here, thus re-enforcing the troops on Federal Hill eight hours earlier than by Harrisburg. On Lieutenant-Colonel Porter's telegram, then just received, that the road was insecure and should be guarded by two regiments before other troops were sent over it, I ordered from York troops (for the first time telegraphed as equipped) to seize and secure the road fur future use. Only one regiment was available. I feared if the road was passed over by a portion of the command (insufficient to re-enforce and to guard) it might be rendered impracticable before the passage of troops from here. It is too late to turn General Cadwalader's command from the direct route.

Your telegram apprises me for the first time that Baltimore is embraced within the limits of General Butler's department. I was making preparations to advance and take up, temporarily, my headquarters in that city.

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

R. PATTERSON,

Major-General, Commanding.

WASHINGTON, May 15, 1861.

Major General R. PATTERSON, Commanding, &c., Philadelphia, Pa.:

When I telegraphed you about the sufficiency of the Garrison at Fort McHenry I did not know that General Butler had called for Pennsyl-