HEADQUARTERS,
Richmond, Va., April 4, 1862.

Colonel J. GORGAS,

Chief Ordnance Bureau, Richmond, Va.:

COLONEL: I have the honor to request that you will cause one 10-inch columbiad, with barbette carriage, to be sent to Drewry's Bluff, and one 4.62-inch rifled siege gun to General Huger, to be placed on Nansemond River. I wish five 8-inch columbiads retained for the battery at Mulberry Island, for which casemate carriages are being provided. These carriages were promised to be done some time since. Can you not hasten their completion and send them down?

I will advise you shortly of my wishes concerning the other guns on your memorandum, which I understand will be four 8-inch columbiads with barbette carriages.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. E. LEE,

General, Commanding.

LEE'S MILL, April 4, 1862.

Colonel B. S. EWELL:

Inform Colonel Hill Carter by express that the enemy have advanced in force, and are at Warwick Court-House on one side and Harwood's Mill and Cockletown on the other. Press all the vehicles in the country, and send all the sick that can be safely moved to Bigler's Mill and Jamestown, to be forwarded to Richmond. Send the sick from Bigler's also to Richmond, if practicable. Place a guard of 3 men over the lighters at mouth of College Creek to ferry any troops over, or take the lighters up the creek if the enemy advance. You will make every effort possible to move the guns from the lower to the upper works at Spratley's. Move the lighter guns at all events, and have a man ready to spike the heavy guns, if it becomes absolutely necessary to do so save them from the enemy. General Rains has been ordered to send the Logan to Bigler's to-morrow to move you sick.

By command of Major-General Magruder:

HENRY BRYAN,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS,
Lee's Farm, April 4, 1862.

Lieutenant TALIAFERRO,

Ordnance Officer, Williamsburg:

SIR: You will send one-half of al the ammunition you have to-night without delay. Have the rest ready for issue. Tell Colonel Ewell the enemy is at Warwick Court-House in great force, and to have his men at their guns to-morrow all day, their guns loaded and pointed and all his ammunition ready. Should our men be repulsed, he must be careful not to fire upon them. Tell him to have a piece of artillery at Whitaker's Mill to cover our retreat if we should have to fall back, and that it may be in the night. The countersign to-morrow is "Weldon;" the next "Florida;" the third, "Mason." His men must remain at night sleeping on their arms in the works. The wagons will report to these headquarters, at Lee's house, with the ammunition.

By order of Major-General Magruder:

A. B. MAGRUDER.