enterprise, in the very face of the enemy, now probably forty thousand strong at Washington, Annapolis, and the Potomac River. The heavy guns should doubtless be held ready in your rear, and in mine until we shall be ready, on both lines of operations, to converge, unmask, and force on that enterprise in the face of any odds that can be brought against us. Strengthen your position, therefore, with men, munitions, and heavy ordnance, while I shall do the same. As to your front, cover it with the "eyes and ears of an army"--cavalry--as best you may. Observe the enemy; gather intelligence; keep at your outposts lines of vedettes and couriers; gather, therefore, all the cavalry you can in your district, without infringing on mine; strengthen yourself in infantry and field artillery; drill, organize, equip, discipline, and generally get ready to converge with me when the time shall come; keep yourself in regular, prompt, and speedy communication with my headquarters, through all media-rail, wire, and courier; report to Assistant Adjutant-General Jones from time to time the numbers, description, and general condition of all forces under your command, and how located or distributed.

Very respectfully, your most obedient,

PHILIP ST. GEO. COCKE,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

CULPEPER COURT-HOUSE, April 29, 1861.

General P. ST. GEO. COCKE,

Commanding on Line of Potomac, Culpeper Court-House, Va.:

SIR: In obedience to your order we have conferred upon the subject of placing a battery at the point indicated in your instructions, and have the honor to make the following report:

To place this battery a large supporting force will be necessary, and as the Federal Government has now in Washington, as we believe, twenty or twenty-five thousand troops, and means of transporting four or five thousand in a few hours to any point on the Potomac, we consider a movement of that kind at present injudicious. We would respectfully suggest that the two 8-inch guns, ammunition, &c., now in Alexandria be removed to this or some other point on the railroad, where they would be in a safer position.

We are, respectfully, your obedient servants,

WM. L. MAURY,

WM. TAYLOR SMITH,

Lieutenants, State Navy.

HEADQUARTERS VIRGINIA FORCES,
Richmond, Va., May 2, 1861.

Brigadier-General COCKE, Alexandria, Va.:

GENERAL: Your communication of this date, inclosing one to General Ruggles and one from Lieutenants Smith and Maury, State Navy, have been received. Captain Lynch, State Navy, has been sent to examine the defensible points of the Potomac, and when anything, based upon his report, has been definitely determined upon, you will be duly informed to you, when you will be able to put him in command at Alexandria, in the place of Colonel Taylor.

I am, sir, very respectfully,

R. S. GARNETT, Adjutant-General.