the Department of War and the President this new instance of the boldness from General Stuart and the courage and efficiency of our troops.

Connected with this communication and these reports is a recommendation form General Longstreet, General Beauregard, and myself for forming a cavalry brigade and putting Colonel Stuart at is head. A new organization of the cavalry arm of our service is greatly needed, and greater strength as well as an effective organization. Our numbers in cavalry are by no means in due proper proportion victory is comparatively barren of results; defeat is less prejudicial; retreat is usually safe.

You will observe that I propose that Colonel Stuart shall be withdrawn from the immediate command of the First Regiment of virginia Cavalry. Should this be done, as I hope it will be, other arrangements are necessary in the regiment. As they have served immediately under my eye, and as I thus know them thoroughly, I feel it my duty to make further suggestions.

The regiment so far is exclusively Virginian. By all means keep it so, where it can be done without prejudice in other respects. State pride excites a generous emulation in the Army, which is of inappreciable value in its effect on the spirit of the troops. I therefore recommend that Captain William E. Jones, who now commands the strongest troops in the regiment and one which is not surpassed in discipline or spirit by any in the army, be made colonel. He is a graduate of West Point, served for several years in the Mounted Rifles,a nd is skillful, brave,a nd zealous in a very high degree. It is enough to say that he brave, and zealous in a very high degree. It is enough to say that he is worthy to succeed J. E. B. Stuart. For the lieutenant-colonelcy I repeat my recommendation of Captain Fitzhugh Lee. He belongs to a family in which military genius seems an heirloom. He is an officer of rave merit, capacity, and courage. Both of these officers have the invaluable advance at this moment of knowledge of the ground which is now the scene of operations.

I do not recommend maj. Robert Swan of the regiment for promotion in it, because, though personally known to me as a capable and gallant officer, yet his service and experience in the Army heretofore have been in the infantry. I am informed that he would prefer that branch of the service. I therefore recommend his transfer to it. Being a Marylander, it would be preferable ot place him in a Maryland regiment. He would be likely thus to serve our cause most effectively.

Most respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. E. JOHNSTON,

General.

General S. COOPER, Adjt. and Inspr. General, Richmond, Va.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,

Numbers 19.
September 12, 1861.

The commanding general has great satisfaction in making known the excellent conduct of Colonel J. E. B. Stuart, and of the officers and men of his command, in the affair of Lewinsville, on the 11th instant, on which occasion Colonel Stuart, with Major [James B.] Terrill's battalion (Thirteenth Virginia Volunteers), two field pieces of the Washington Artillery (Louisiana), under captain [T. L.] Rosser and Lieutenant [C. H.] Slocomb, and Captain Patrick's company of cavalry (First Virginia), attacked and drove from that position in confusion three regiments of