My headquarters will be for some time near Fairfax Station. They will be transferred to-morrow; hence the necessity of your commanding Colonel Forney's Brigade in case of emergency.

Colonel Stuart yesterday, with two field pieces, a company of his regiment, and 305 infantry (Virginia), under Major Terrill, put to flight Griffin's battery of eight pieces, three regiments of infantry, and a body of cavalry, strength not given. They left behind 5 dead and 6 prisoners, one mortally wounded.* Stuart is confident that they carried off a good many dead and wounded. A prisoner said that the redoubtable McC. was present. If so, I shall never forgive Stuart for not securing him.

Yours, truly,

J. E. JOHNSTON.

Stuart says our loss was not a scratch to man or horse.

Write to me your opinion of the force necessary for the observation of the Occoquan and succor of Evansport. Would Wigfall's regiment be sufficient for the latter, to be placed somewhere near? I have no objections, in your estimate, to consider Forney's Brigade divisible. Send letters to Cabell for transmittal.

J. E. J.

ADJUTANT AND INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Richmond, September 12, 1861.

General R. E. LEE, C. S. A.,

Commanding Forces, Staunton, Va.:

GENERAL: I am instructed by the President to say that you have authority to transfer General Wise's Legion proper to any other command than that of General Floyd. You can transfer it to your own immediate command or make any assignment of it which you may deem proper, in order to produce harmony of action, it being clearly evident that the commands of Generals Floyd and Wise cannot co-operate with any advantage to the service. The absence of General Wise's Legion from the future operations of General Floyd will be replaced by orders from here for Colonel Russell's Twentieth Mississippi Volunteers and Colonel Phillips' Georgia Legion, both at Linchburg, to join General Floyd.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General.

Numbers 40.] HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE KANAWHA,

Camp Walker, Va., September 12, 1861.

Brigadier General HENRY A. WISE:

SIR: I understand that a strong column of the enemy is advancing in this direction form Hawk's Nest. I have ordered all my available cavalry to guard Carnifix Ferry. You will, then, send at once a detachment of your cavalry to scout the road upon which it is reported the enemy is advancing, and hold your command in readiness to meet them.

Your obedient servant,

JOHN B. FLOYD,

Brigadier-General, Commanding Army of the Kanawha.

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*See p. 167.

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