You did right in sending the shoemakers to Staunton, and I hope that you placed Colonel Davidson on his guard, lest they should turn traitors.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. E. LEE,

General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA, Camp near Culpeper

Court-House, Va., November 6, 1862.

Major General GUSTAVUS W. SMITH,
Commanding Richmond, Va.:

GENERAL: Your letter of the 5th instant has been received. You will have learned by my telegram* of to-day to the Adjutant and Inspector General that Evans' brigade has been ordered to Weldon. the necessary trains for its conveyance could not be got here before 4 o'clock this evening. It is now preparing to embark, with orders that, on arrival at Richmond, it will march immediately to the Petersburg depot. Have the cars ready. I will send the Sixty-first Virginia Regiment, as soon as the companies can be collected, to Richmond, and also the Thirteenth Virginia Cavalry, if you think they are more required there than here. I was in hopes that there was cavalry sufficient on that line, and it is very much needed on this. In my letter to the President of to-day, I endeavored to report the condition of things on this northern frontier, and the indications go to show that McClellan's whole army is moving toward the Rappahannock with more activity than usual. If this be so, the operations in Carolina can scarcely be more than to distract our attention and instruct their new troops. Please send up the two North Carolina regiments, and the Mississippi regiments will be sent back in the return cars. I will send back the Norfolk Light Artillery Blues as soon as I can replace it.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. E. LEE,

General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA, November 6, 1862.

His Excellency President DAVIS, Richmond, Va.:

Mr. PRESIDENT: In compliance with the telegraphic request received during last night from the honorable Secretary of War, I have directed General Evans' brigade to repair to Weldon, N. C. The brigade is now ready to move, but the trains for conveyance will not be here until 3.30 o'clock this afternoon. It will then go. I have also ordered Colonel S. D. Lee to report in Richmond to-morrow, and as soon as I can relieve General Walker he will also be ordered to report to the Adjutant and Inspector General in Richmond. I feel that I am much weakened by the loss of these two officers, as well as by the departure of Brigadier General W. H. C. Whiting, but I hope the general service will be benefitted.

I find on my arrival that Colonel Featherston has returned to his brigade. As I do not know what disposition to make of him, I shall have to withhold the commission of Colonel Posey unless he can be placed my arrival in Richmond, whose commission has been forwarded to my headquarters, obliges me to retain that of Colonel Gordon, appointed for

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*Not found.

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