YORKTOWN, VA., April 12, 1862.

General GEORGE W. RANDOLPH,

Secretary of War:

SIR: Is there no possible means of getting any more cannon powder for this place? We have scarcely 60 charges per gun for those on the front line and 30 for the rest. We should have at the very least 30,000 sent us immediately and 20,000 more sent as soon afterward as possible.

The enemy is throwing up his works around us now, and we really have not the ammunition to drive him away. He can shell us when he pleases and we cannot spare the powder to return it fully.

By order of Major-General Magruder:

J. THOMAS GOODE,

Major and Chief of Artillery and Ordnance, Yorktown.

[Indorsement.]

Respectfully forwarded and urgently recommended.

J. BANKHEAD MAGRUDER,

Major-General, Commanding.

YORKTOWN, April 12, 1862-12 o'clock.

Honorable GEORGE W. RANDOLPH,

Secretary of War:

A steam-tug of the enemy has just succeeded in passing up York River and entering Wormley's Creek. She was fired upon by the rifled 32-pounder from Gloucester Point and Yorktown.

There is not a sufficiency of ammunition for these guns, those at Gloucester Point having only about 30 rounds, those at Yorktown having less than 100. It is desirable that more ammunition be forwarded at once. The caliber of the projectile for the gun at Gloucester Point Captain Minor, of the Navy, knows; that of the gun at Yorktown you know. These guns are differently rifled.

J. BANKHEAD MAGRUDER,

Major-General, Commanding.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS,

No. 6. Richmond, Va., April 12, 1862.

The Departments of Norfolk and the Peninsula are embraced for the present within the limit of operations of the Army of Northern Virginia. General J. E. Johnston will direct the military and naval operations in those departments. The commanders of the departments and navy-yards, while conforming to his instructions, will make their reports and requisitions, as heretofore, to the proper departments in Richmond until further orders.

By order of the President:

R. E. LEE,

General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS,
Richmond, Va., April 13, 1862.

Major General B. HUGER,

Commanding Department of Norfolk, Va.:

GENERAL: I am directed by General Lee to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 10th instant, in reply to his relative to the batteries