such light duty as he could do, as judge-advocate, and while suffering from his wound. Your staff-McLean, Burns, Dickerson, and Dr. Wright-are not to be taken from your orders.

WINFIELD SCOTT.

CAMP TYNDALE, POINT OF ROCKS, September 28, 1861.

General CHARLES P. STONE,

Commanding Corps of Observation:

DEAR GENERAL: I have reliable information, and such as should be believed, that there are about 27,000 men in the neighborhood of Leesburg, General Johnson commanding in person. Their intention is to attack my lines in several places and to make a crossing in the neighborhood of Noland's Ferry, or at Mason's Island, about one mile and a half above that point. My informant is Mr. Buxton, who is now here, and left Leesburg this morning.

Now, if all this be true, it behooves us to be up and doing. With some more troops and a couple more pieces of artillery I feel very confident I can make a successful resistance. I hope therefore, that you will lend me your aid when the trying hour comes, for, without counting numbers, I will stoutly resist.

Yours, truly,

JNO. W. GEARY,

Colonel.

DARNESTOWN, MD., September 28, 1861.

General STONE:

SIR: I received your letter of this morning at 7 o'clock. We have sent the Twelfth Indiana, a good regiment, with a section of Captain Best's artillery, to the relief of Colonel Geary. They start at once, and will reach Noland's Ferry by nightfall.

Very truly, yours,

N. P. BANKS.

WASHINGTON, September 28, 1861.

Major General GEORGE B. McCLELLAN:

GENERAL: I have the honor to report that in compliance with your instructions I went down the Potomac yesterday as far as Mathias Point. In company with me were Lieutenant Wyman, U. S. Navy, of the Potomac flotilla, and --- Sherburne, late of the rebel army. Lieutenant Wyman's knowledge of the river was of great service in pointing our of the different localities. The first point available to the enemy for the erection of batteries to obstruct navigation is Whitestone. The lower part of this point is a bluff about 100 feet high, the face of which may have an extent of five or six hundred yards. From this bluff batteries would rake the channel below as far as shot or shell would reach. It is thickly wooded up to its very edge, and through a portion of the extent the woods extend down the face of the bluff to the water's edge. The river opposite Whitestone Point is but slightly over a mile wide. The next location requiring notice is Hallowing Point. This point is mostly level and cleared; elevation only from 20 to 30 feet. Batteries on this point would be very effective, but it is so low and open to observation that we can prevent their construction