safety of this country do one of two things without delay, remove this army or send to it re-enforcement of 100,000 men.

If this army should be taken to some place between the enemy and our own possessions, we might allege health as a motive for the movement, bid defiance to the South, and by and by to England and France also, but by remaining here in our present condition we submit to chance the very ark of our safety.

Please let me hear from you.

Your friend,

E. D. KEYES,

P. S.- I have kept the foregoing two days to determine whether or not I should change my opinion and retain it. I have concluded, however, to send it; the sickliness of this country in August and September being one of the strongest reasons for withdrawing.

[Indorsement.]

JULY 28, 1862.

Respectfully referred to Major-General Halleck.

M. C. MEIGS,

Quartermaster-General.

GENERAL ORDERS.
WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJT. GEN'S. OFFICE,

Numbers 84.
Washington, July 22, 1862

The designation in General Orders, Numbers 125, from the Headquarters Army of the Potomac, of the forces commanded by Brigadier-Generals Porter and Franklin as the Fifth and Sixth Army Corps is hereby confirmed.

The forces under Major-General Dix will constitute the Seventh ; those under Major-General Wool the Eighth; and those under Major-General Burnside, belonging to the Department of North Carolina, the Ninth Army Corps, respectively.

By order of the Secretary of War:

L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.

July 23, 1862-7.30 a.m.

Major General JOHN POPE:

In congratulate you heartily on success of the cavalry expedition.

Nothing new of interest here.

GEO. B. McCLELLAN,
Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.

Berkeley, July 26, 1862.

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

Commanding U. S. Army:

GENERAL: I have seen to-day nearly a thousand of our sick and wounded just returned from Richmond. Some refugees have also arrived and a number of surgeons and chaplains taken prisoners at Bull