I had no orders from General Pope, nor had I seen the reply of General Lee, C. S. Army, to that officer's application for a flag of truce for the removal of our wounded. All our wounded were removed before my departure from Centreville, Va., last evening, about 9 o'clock.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

RICHARD H. COOLIDGE,

Medical Inspector, U. S. Army.

GENERAL ORDERS,

Numbers 2.

HDQRS. DEFENSES OF WASHINGTON,
Washington, September 10, 1862.

I. With the exception of general officers, no officer or soldier will be allowed to cross any of the bridges or ferries of the Potomac, or to visit the cities of Washington, Georgetown, or Alexandria, without a pass signed by the regimental commander and approved by the commanders of the brigade and division in which the regiment is serving. Such passes will not be granted for a greater period than forty-eight hours, and every pass must state distinctly the object for which it is granted. General officers, when recognized as such, require no pass; but they will not leave their commands without permission from their superior commanders. Aides-de-camp and other staff officers, when not with their general, will require passes in the same manner as all other officers.

II. Officers and men belonging to troops serving in the cities of Washington, Georgetown, and Alexandria will not leave their camps or barracks without a pass from their regimental commander.

III. The officers of the provost guard will order any officer found in either of the three cities, contrary to the provisions of this order, to return to his regiment, in arrest, and his name and regiment will, without delay, be communicated by the provost-marshal to the division commander concerned, who will cause him to be brought to trial, as soon as possible, for the violation of this order. Enlisted men found in either of the three cities without authority will be arrested and kept under guard until a guard is sent for them by their division commanders, whom the provost-marshal will promptly notify of the arrest, and who will hold the subordinate commanders concerned responsible for the absence of their men.

IV. The subject of passes to civilians, not in the military service, will be regulated by the military governor of the District of Columbia.

V. No wine, beer, or ardent spirits, unless they be for hospital or subsistence stores, or the private stores of an officer (in either of which cases they should be so marked), will be allowed to pass the guards at any of the bridges or ferries, or the guards of any camp or barracks in this command, without a pass from the military governor or provost-marshal of Washington or Alexandria, to cover the stores.

VI. Passes granted by a division commander must be signed by the commander himself, or by not exceeding two officers of his staff, whose names and signatures must be reported to the military governor of the District of Columbia and of Alexandria.

VII. All fast riding or driving is forbidden in the cities of Washington and Alexandria. Teamsters must drive their teams at a walk. Orderlies will habitually ride either at a walk or trot; if necessary for them to ride at a more rapid pace, the direction "gallop" should be written on the envelope of the dispatch.

VIII. While passing through the streets of Washington, Georgetown, or Alexandria, teams must leave a space equal to the width of a street after every sixth wagon. Wagons will not halt on the crossings, but