now placed over a line thirty miles long I cannot properly attend to them, and fear I may some day be ordered to move when illy prepared. Moreover, this town is a source of information to the enemy, and any arrangement for a movement will be very easily detected. I propose to hold the military railroad as far as Opequon, but to concentrate this army near Charlestown and put it in condition to move.

WINF'D S. HANCOCK,

Major-General.

ALEXANDRIA, March 25, 1865. (Received 8.10 p. m.)

Colonel TAYLOR,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

Citizens report that Bush Underwood and twenty other guerrillas were killed in a fight with our forces above Leesburg yesterday. There was some picket-firing near Accotink last night. All quiet to day.

H. H. WELLS,

Colonel and Provost-Marshal-General.

HARPER'S FERRY, VA., March 25, 1865.

General MORGAN,

Chief of Staff:

Have just received from Secretary of War the following telegram:

Brigadier-General STEVENSON:

It is represented to this Department that by some order or regulation of yours persons taking the amnesty oath are required to leave their homes and go north of the Ohio Railroad. It is not perceived that existing circumstances require such rigor toward those who wish to submit to the Government. If, therefore, you have made any such order or regulation you will revoke it immediately.

EDWIN. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

This telegram refers to a department orders issued by me from department headquarters; the number I have forgotten. I forward telegram for the information of the general commanding.

Respectfully,

JOHN. D. STEVENSON,

Brigadier-General.

HARPER'S FERRY, VA., March 25, 1865.

(Received 1.25 p. m.)

Honorable E. M. STANTON:

Whilst temporarily in command of Department of West Virginia, at the instance of the governor of the State of West Virginia and loyal inhabitants of the State, representing that large numbers of pretended deserters were filling up their counties, creating a great alarm in the minds of the loyal inhabitants from their numbers and their previous bad fight, that the peace of the State and the person and property of loyal inhabitants were in jeopard, I published an order requiring such persons to go beyond the Ohio River or 100 miles north of Baltimore and Ohio Railroad; also, that refugees who were a burden to the Government should go sufficiently for north to such points where they could