NEAR SHARPSBURG, MD.,

October 7, 1862-11.30 a.m. (Received 1 p.m.)

Major-General HALLECK:

General Burnside's corps marched this morning for Harper's Ferry, and will encamp in Pleasant Valley. General Cox's division remains here, awaiting your decision upon my dispatch of last evening. I should be glad to get the information asked for regarding the railroad as soon as practicable. I am taking steps to put this army in marching order as rapidly as possible.

GEO. B. McCLELLAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, October 7, 1862-9.50 p.m.

PAYMASTER-GENERAL, U. S. Army:

General Cox's division is ordered to march to-morrow, via Hagerstown, to Hancock, where it will take the cars, via Cumberland, to Clarksburg, Va. Some of the regiments of this division have not been paid for eight months. The rolls have been for some length of time in time in the hands of Major Johnson, their paymaster, and I understand that the money for their payment has been to his credit for more than a month. I would request that he be ordered at once to Hagerstown, to follow the division from there, and to pay it as soon as he can overtake it.

GEO. B. McCLELLAN,
Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,

October 7, 1862-10 p.m. (Received 10.40 p.m.)

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief:

As I shall probably require a regiment of heavy artillery, I have this evening directed General Banks to have Colonel Tyler's First Connecticut Artillery, which regiment is drilled in that arm, organize and equip the regiment as soon as possible for service in the field.

I trust this will meet your approbation.

GEO. B. McCLELLAN,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,
Washington, October 7, 1862.

Major-General McCLELLAN,

Commanding, &c.:

GENERAL: Your letter of September 28 to the Adjutant-General is just received by me.

Nearly every measure recommended by you to fill up the old regiments has already been adopted. Some 2,000 convalescents have been sent to their regiments within the last four days. Extra-duty men will be sent to their regiments as soon as they can be replaced. Teamsters, for example, we are replacing as rapidly as possible by hired men.

Straggling is the great curse of the army, and must be checked by severe measures. Whatever measures you adopt to accomplish that