mand farther to the front than Bull Run as a support to General French, after he has returned to Manassas, you [may] use your own judgment in the matter. Supplies will be forwarded to you as rapidly as possible. Keep these headquarters advised of your movements and the reasons therefor.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. H. TAYLOR,

Chief of Staff and Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS SUMNER'S ARMY CORPS,
Fairfax Court-House, March 16, 1862.

General RICHARDSON:

The general commanding the corps directs, in compliance with orders from headquarters Army of the Potomac, that French's brigade return to Manassas to await further orders, and he directs that you remain with the residue of your division as a support at Bull Run. Three days' rations will be forwarded to you to-morrow, and the general orders that you make such distributions of them as you may deem proper.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. H. TAYLOR,

Chief of Staff and Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
Washington, D. C., March 17, 1862.

Major General GEORGE B. MCCLELLAN,

Commanding Army of the Potomac:

GENERAL: I have the honor to report the following information relative to the forces and defenses of the Army of the Potomac obtained to this date, which has been extracted from current statements made here by spies, contrabands, deserters, refugees, and prisoners of war, in the order of time as hereinafter stated, and which at the time of reception were made the subjects of special reports to you. I have also appended to this report of extracts from statements, and have made the same a part of this report, a varied summary of the forces and defenses of the rebel Army of the Potomac, showing by different combinations about the probable number of these forces and the locality and strength of their defenses:

By reference to the summary of this report it will be seen that 115,500 men is a medium estimate of the rebel Army of the Potomac, which are stated as being located as follows, viz: At Manassas, Centreville, Bull Run, Upper Occoquan, and vicinities, about 80,000 men; at Brooke's Station, Dumfries, Lower Occoquan, and vicinities, 18,000; at Leesburg and vicinity, 4,500; in the Shenandoah Valley, 13,000.

Of the above-mentioned forces information has been received up to date, as shown by summary in this report, of the following specific organizations, viz: At Manassas, Centreville, Bull Run, Upper Occoquan, and vicinities, sixty-one regiments and one battalion infantry, eight regiments, one battalion, and seven independent companies cavalry, thirty-four companies artillery. At Brooke's Station, Dumfries, Lower Occoquan, and vicinities, eighteen regiments and one battalion infantry, one regiment and six independent companies cavalry, and fifteen companies.