rate commissary department, and derived their supplies from other sources than did the main body at Mannassas and Centerville.

All of which, general, is respectfully submitted by your obedient servant,.

E. J. ALLEN. [ALLEN PINKERTON.]

[Inclosure.]

JANUARY 27, 1862.

A deserter from the Sixth Louisiana Regiment states that he left Centerville about 25th December, 1861, and Manassas about January 7, 1862; that it was then understood that the rebel forces at Manassas, Centerville, and vicinity were about 60,000 under command of Generals Johnston, Beauregard, and Smith; that he got his information from a clerk in the rebel Commissary Department; that General Taylor's brigade, to which he belonged, was of General Seymour, 840 men; Seventh Louisiana, Colonel Harry Hays, 840 men;Eighth Louisiana Regiment, Colonel Kelly, 900 men, and battalion of Louisiana Tigers, five companies, under the command of Major Wheat; that the headquarters of Brigadier-General Van Dorn were near Union Mills, and his cavalry pickets extend to Fairfax Court-House ; that General Early's brigade, near Bull Run, west of the railroad bridge, is composed of the Twentieth Georgia, Twenty-fourth Virginia, Thirteenth North Carolina, and two other regiments, with one battery-one of the regiments is commanded by Colonel Hope; that General Bonham's South Carolina brigade is on the new military road from Centerville ot Union Mills, composed of five regiments and one battery; that General Cox's brigade is encamped near Centerville, on Manassas road, and includes the celebrated Eighth Virginia; that two brigades are located 2 miles from Centreville, on Stone Bridge road, and in one of them are the First Kentucky and Sixteenth Mississippi; that Stuart's cavalry brigades is near Stone Brigade, two the regiments under command of Colonels Fields and Radford; that Washington Artillery, four companies, under Major Walton, guns mostly brass and rifled, four mortars, is stationed on east side of New Bull Run Bridge.

Batteries.-That near General Bonham's brigade are four half-moon batteries; several forts on the heights about Centerville, on guns mounted on any of them; that logs shaped like guns, the outer ends painted black, are put into position to appear like guns from the outside, being covered with brush to hide the character of the "guns" and hinder revealment of true state of affairs; that informant knows this to be true, having helped to make and place in position these mock guns; that the log guns are on those forts only nearest this way outside Centerville; that there are no stationary guns east side of Bull Run. Heavy guns have been taken from Manassas batteries for the blockade on the Potomac; that General Rodes' brigade is near to month of Bull Run, on the Occoquan; in his brigade are the fifth and Sixth Alabama Regiments and others not known; also the Black Horse Cavalry.

Recapitulation of forces stated as being in vicinity of Manasas, Centerville, Union Mills, Stone Bridge, and Benson's Ford, to wit: General Taylor's brigade, General Bonham's brigade, General Early's brigade, General Cox's brigade; two brigades 2 miles west-south west of Centrville; several regiments west side Bull Run; Stuart' cavalry brigade; General Rodes' brigade; Washington Artillery, for companies, 16

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