maintaining our position in Northwestern Virginia, by learning this afternoon that attention has been effectively directed to the line from Huttonsville to the Central Railroad at Millborough. In justice to myself I inclose herewith copies of correspondence,* to show that from the first my eye has been fixed upon this necessity, and to refer to the fact that, when I was here with but two regiments, upon which any reliance whatsoever could be placed, and before I was joined even by the shattered wrecks of General Garnett's command, I dispatched one of those regiments to operate alone upon that line.

The copy of my order to Captain Robert G. Cole with show that I have already dispatched him, with as plenary power as I could give, to make arrangements at Huntersville for the transportation and provisioning of the troops which may be put in motion from Millborough.

While the information contained in the letter of Mr. Skeen, as to the occupancy of Middle Mountain by the enemy, may be premature, it cannot be questioned, I think, that such is now the destination of the main body of his forces; whether with an eye to the Central Railroad or to taking General Wise in the rear, remains still to be seen.

A very intelligent officer, Captain Hall, one of our recently released prisoners, while in the enemy's camp, had intimate intercourse with General Rosecrans, who told him that by means of telegraphic and railroad facilities General McClellan could at any time concentrate troops, even to the amount of fifty thousand, in Northwestern Virginia. Rosecrans also said that they were on the lookout for Wise.

The Fourteenth Indiana Regiment, with one thousand and ten men, occupy the top of Cheat Mountain, with two regiments at its western base. The enemy have in all five hundred cavalry, armed with sabers, carbines, and navy revolvers, and twenty-six pieces of artillery, comprising a battery from the old Regular Army. All of his troops are admirably armed and equipped. The time of service of the Eighth and Tenth Indiana Regiments expires this month, and they are all going home, saying that they have had enough of it, and apparently shocked by the carnage on Rich Mountain.

I regret to say that the condition of the command of the late General Garnett is improving but slowly, if at all, the weather being far from propitious. I am greatly embarrassed by the sick and sick and discontented. In fact, I must say that scarcely know what disposition to make of them. From this remark, however, the regiments of Lieutenant-Colonel Jackson and Fulkerson (Thirty-seventh Virginia Volunteers) are to be excepted, and, while they are undoubtedly suffering to a very great extent, those able officers keep them up to their duty, maintaining their organization intact, and I am troubled with but few complaints from the men.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

HENRY R. JACKSON,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS NORTHWESTERN ARMY,
Monterey, Va., July 22, 1861.

Major HARMAN:

If there be any command whatsoever, and especially of artillery, now at Staunton, and designed for this quarter, send it at once to the Millborough Station, with the necessary means and agency to provide for its transportation upon the Huntersville and Elk Mountain, or Hut-

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*Not found.

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