couriers to headquarters to announce their approach. The couriers at Lebanon Church will receive and bear messages or communications from the commanding officer.

By command of Major-General Magruder:

A. G. DICKINSON,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE PENINSULA,
Lee's Farm, April 6, 1862-10 o'clock at night.

General LEE,

Richmond:

Skirmishing along the whole line to-day; enemy threatening every point; erecting batteries in front of Yorktown and in front of our lines on the Warwick River. Balloons have been observing Yorktown and the whole of our line. They discovered a weak point, where numbers must prevail. It is in wood, in our center. We will work day and night to strength it.

Exchanged fire with ships to-day at Yorktown, everybody behaving beautifully. Our firing blew up one of the enemy's caissons to-day. Two regiments of Cobb's brigade arrived to-day. Re-enforcements come very slowly, and will probably be too late.

J. BANKHEAD MAGRUDER,

Major-General, Commanding.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPT. OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA,

No. 98. Rapidan, April 6, 1862.

* * * * * * *

II. Brigadier General W. S. Featherston is assigned to the command of the special brigade formerly commanded by Colonel G. B. Anderson, and will report to Brigadier General D. H. Hill, commanding division, for duty.

* * * * * * *

By command of General Johnston:

THOS. G. RHETT,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS,
Richmond, Va., April 7, 1862.

General B. HUGER,

Commanding Department, Norfolk, Va.:

MY DEAR GENERAL: It appears from the maps in my possession that the Nansemond River is defended by a number of small batteries scattered along its bands, erected from time to time to meet the emergency then existing. Singly these batteries are weak against a serious naval attack, and are more or less liable to be taken and destroyed by a sudden night attack by land. I think it would be better, if practicable, to collect the guns from these scattered batteries and place them in position at some point where they can be concentrated on an obstruction in the channel of the river. A position at or near Town Point seems to be a suitable one; and, if so, under this view, the guns from Cedar Point (Page's battery), and perhaps Pig Point and Barrett's