Virginia and Tennessee Railroad, and place one brigade at the Narrows of New River, in Giles County, to guard and defend that pass, and order another small brigade to the western portion of Monroe or Greenbrier, to prevent or check any advance upon the route through Lewisburg. My apprehension now is that the advance by the enemy, if the weather continues good, will be upon the road through Greenbrier. Up to 8 o'clock of the morning of the 1st they had not advanced upon this line farther than Fayette Court-House, and if to that point, only in small force. From the other line I have not yet been informed by General Jenkins, in command of the cavalry. Upon whatever line they may advance, if they advance at all, they cannot be successfully resisted by our present force. It may be that may not undertake at this late season to cross over the mountains of this region, although I think that they will. I hope that I may be indulged in expressing the opinion that if the Government intends to take and hold the Kanawha Valley, they must send a force of some 12,000 or 15,000 men in order to accomplish it. The country from the counties of Monroe and Giles to the Kanawha River is now little better than a desert, having been heretofore pillaged and laid waste by the enemy. Very many of the inhabitants have deserted it, not being able to live in it, and there are but few dwelling-houses now standing along the main lines of travel between these two points, they having been destroyed by the invading army last winter and spring. The supplies for our army must be drawn from the line of the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad, for this section will yield nothing for our support. It will be important to keep a force in front of the railroad, as the enemy no doubt will advance upon it whenever an opportunity presents itself. During the last spring they penetrated with a cavalry force to within 8 or 10 miles of this railroad.

I regret exceedingly that I have been unable to hold the Kanawha Valley, which was so much to be desired, but I beg the Department to believe that in attempting to do so I should most likely have sacrificed my whole command. I do not think that the command of General Floyd is at present able to effect much in the way of

co-operation. It is, I think, small and not well organized, although he is displaying much energy in attempting to effect its organization. I should be pleased to receive any instructions from the Government which may be necessary, if the disposition of my force, which I have indicated, does not meet with its entire approbation. I inclose a slip* from a Cincinnati paper of late date, as showing the probable force of the enemy on the Kanawha River.

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

JNO. ECHOLS,

Brigadier-General, &c.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF [WESTERN] VIRGINIA, Nine miles east of Raleigh C. H., November 1, 1862, Via Dublin, W. Va., November 2, 1862.

General S. COOPER:

My cavalry, under General Jenkins, were driven back from the Kanawha Valley by the enemy on yesterday. General Jenkins reports to me that they advanced upon him in force near the Falls of Kanawha, and that he was compelled to fall back. I have ordered him to take his command to the counties of Greenbrier and Pocahontas, and watch

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*Not found.

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