QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Washington City, November 10, 1862.

Major-General BURNSIDE,

Commanding, Headquarters Warrenton, Va.,:

General McClellan directed that horses should be issued to his army only on his order; therefore, Colonel Rucker, quartermaster of this depot, was instructed to conform to his wishes. The great demands and the complaints from the Army of the Upper Potomac have interfered with all other issues. Unsatisfied requisitions have accumulated here, all the horses lately being sent up the Potomac.

Your dispatch to General Heintzelman of 7.15 p.m., 9th of November, consents to his drawing cavalry horses from this depot. I have so informed and instructed Colonel Rucker.

Some 15,000 horses have been issued to the army in Virginia and Maryland since the 1st of September. A disease is now reported as prevailing, which will make it very difficult to keep up so large a force of cavalry and transportation.

You should give some directions as to the issue of horses, through the chief quartermaster of the army under your command, or you will find your troops in front suffering.

General Heintzelman's quartermaster wants 1,000 horses at once. Such large drafts it will not always be possible to honor quickly.

M. C. MEIGS,

Quartermaster-General.

ALEXANDRIA DEPOT, November 10, [1862]

HERMAN HAUPT:

Your presences is much needed here. Stowe telegraphs that, through Captain Rusling's influence, General Sickles has taken the movement of trains out of his hands, and orders that cars shall be unloaded at a certain point, and to be moved by the engine bringing the trains there. Stowe requested the order in writing, but he refused to give it. Thus another day has been partly lost, and when, too, Colonel Ingalls telegraphed last night that the officer causing the delay of trains should be arrested.

J. H. DEVEREAUX.

ALEXANDRIA, November 10, 1862-11.20 p.m.

HERMAN HAUPT:

Have moved 182 cars to-day here. Sent south 43 cars commissary stores, 8 cars quartermaster's stores, 12 cars forage, 2 cars ordnance stores, 3 of lumber. Moved from Washington 23 cars oats, 26 cars horses, 1 car lumber; and at this hour received 64 empty cars, with 5 more train coming in this side of Manassas, with 78 cars loaded and empty from Manassas. Stowe to-day has sent forward 98 loaded cars. We are straining every nerve, and will have 3 engines working all night in the yard drilling trains, in order to pick out, from half-mile strings of loaded cars, the morning trains. All the shops are working to-night nearly full-handed, to repair engines which have given out to-day.

J. H. DEVEREAUX.