effective, and therefore wishes you to orders the Maryland battery (Brock enbourgh's) to report to General George H. Steaurt, now commanding at Winchester. Should you want another battery to replace it, you can select any one you may desire from the reserve artillery, and it will be ordered to report to you.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. L. LONG,

Colonel and Military Secretary.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA, October 22, 1862.

His Excellency JEFFERSON DAVIS,
Richmond, Va.:

Mr. PRESIDENT: The time is approaching when it becomes necessary to consider what disposition of the troops can best be made for the winter. This must, of course, mainly depend upon the operations of the enemy. But, on the supposition that he will do little more this fall than to organize and instruct his new troops, and, as the winter advances, prepare to advance south of James River, which now seems to me his most probable plan, some position should be chosen with a view of procuring shelter and provisions for the army and forage for the horses. I have seen no indications to make me believe that General McClellan will advance up the Shenandoah Valley. When this army retires from its present position, I think it probable he will occupy Winchester with a sufficient force, and reconstruct the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad between Harper's Ferry and Cumberland. A portion of his force will, no doubt, be retained at Fairfax Court-House and Centreville, and my probably be advanced toward the Rappahannock. At any rate, it will be necessary for us to keep a sufficient force south of the Rappahannock and in front of Richmond, and also one in this valley. We must select points where there is sufficient wood for hunting and fuel for the troops, and within convenient distance from the railroad by which they can be provisioned. A portion of the troops may be placed south of James River, or, if circumstances require, it can operate in Georgia and South Carolina. I should be very glad if Your Excellency would consider this subject, and give me the benefit of your views, as well as such direction as you may see fit.

We shall finish by to-morrow, I think, the destruction of as much of the Winchester and Harper's Ferry and Baltimore and Ohio Railroads within his valley as we can accomplish without bringing on a battle, which I do not desire to do so near the enemy's base of operations. I wish there was any possibility of my sending back the iron from these roads, but as there is move within my reach, I have been obliged to injure it as much as possible to prevent its being relaid. The sills have been taken up and burned, and the bridges and station-houses at Martinsburg, &c., destroyed.

I have to-day ordered General Walker's division to cross the Blue Ridge at Ashby's Gap and take position in the vicinity of Upperville, with a view of checking the incursions of the enemy in that region and watching more closely him movements east of the mountains.

I am, with great respect, Your Excellency's obedient servant,

R. E. LEE,

General.