guilty parties certainly will not volunteer information against themselves.

About ten days since I was informed that some men from a Massachusetts regiment, in Keyes' division, had committed outrages; I at once directed the matter to be laid before General Keyes, with orders to investigate it and bring the parties to punishment. I can form no idea whether this is the same case or not. If Mr. Johnson will give me some clew to pursue I will gladly have the whole thing examined. The charge is so indefinite that I really do not know how I am to proceed in the matter without more distinct information. May I ask you to request Mr. Johnson to give me the necessary data with the least possible delay, for I wish to punish promptly any outrages committed by troops under my command?

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEO. B. MCCLELLAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

GENERAL ORDERS, WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJT. General 'S OFFICE,

Washington, March 15, 1862.

Numbers 25.

The Provost-Marshal-General of the Army of the Potomac and his subordinates will turn over to Brigadier-General Wadsworth, military governor of the District of Columbia, the buildings and premises occupied in the city of Washington and all the public property belonging thereto; and from and after it being so turned over the provost-marshal's office will be withdrawn from the city of Washington, and all the force employed in the military police of the city will be henceforth under command of Brigadier-General Wadsworth, as military governor of the District. General Wadsworth will establish his headquarters in the building heretofore used and occupied by the provost-marshal in the city of Washington.

The Provost-Marshal-General and his subordinates will also turn over to Brigadier-General Wadsworth, as military governor of the District of Columbia, all the military prisons and prisoners within thee District of Columbia and all contrabands now in custody, and the same shall henceforth be under command of the military governor of the District of Columbia. General Wadsworth will forthwith assume command as military governor of the said District.

By order of the Secretary of War:

L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General.

WASHINGTON NAVY-YARD, March 16, 1862.

Honorable E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War:

The following was received at 6.30:

POTOMAC FLOTILLA, March 16.

Captain DAHLGREN:

The information I forwarded regarding gunboats building on the Rappahannock was obtained from negroes living in that vicinity. They had not, however, seen any of the boats. What they stated was from hearsay. The Nicholas is a light side-wheel steamer, the boat seized by a Colonel Thomas, of Maryland. I have no description of the Virginia, but have judged her the same description of boat. I will strive and obtain further information on these points.

R. H. WYMAN.

J. A. DAHLGREN.