The commanding general wishes you to require commanders to keep their officers and men in camp and out of the towns, and always ready to turn out.

The commanding general, with his staff, will join you in a few days, till which no movement to the front will be made unless circumstances should imperatively demand, which you will telegraph. He hopes on his arrival to find, through your energy and judgment, aided by the active efforts of every officer of you command, the different commands organized and prepared to move at a moment's notice on arrival of accouterments, and, if necessary, before their arrival.

Captain John Newton, Engineers, will soon join you. He goes with special instructions relating to reconnoitering the ground in advance of special instructions relating to reconnoitering the ground in advance of Hagerstown. He and Captain Eddy have the confidence of the commanding general, and on this account are sent to you.

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

F. J. PORTER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEP'T OF N. E. VIRGINIA,

Numbers 4.
Arlington, June 2, 1861.

Statements of the amount, kind, and value of all private property taken and used for Government purposes, and of the damage done in any way to private property by reason of the occupation of this section of the country by the U. S. troops, will, as soon as practicable, be made out and transmitted to department headquarters by the commanders of brigades and officers in charge of the several fortifications.

These statements will exhibit-

1st. The quantity of land taken possession of for the several field-works, and the kind and value of the crop growing thereon, if any.

2nd. The quantity of land used for the several encampments and the kind and value of the growing crop thereon, if any.

3rd. The number, size and character of the buildings appropriated to public purposes.

4th. The quantity and value of tress cut down.

5th. The kind and extent of fencing, &c., destroyed.

These statements will, as far as possible, give the value of the property taken or of the damage sustained, and the name or names of the owners thereof. Citizens who have sustained any loss or damage as above will make their claims upon the commanding officers of the troops by whom it was done, or in cases where these troops have moved away, upon the commander nearest them. These claims will accompany the statements above called for.

The commanders of brigades will require the assistance of the commanders of regiments or detached companies, and will make this order known to the inhabitants in their vicinity, to the end that all loss or damage may, as nearly as possible, be ascertained, whilst the troops are now here, and by whom or on whose account it has been occasioned, that justice may be done alike to the citizen and the Government.

The name of the officer or officers (in case the brigade commanders shall institute a board) who fix the amount of loss or damage shall be given in each case.

By order of Brigadier-General McDowell:

JAMES B. FRY, A. A. G.