Hoping, through the troops and supplies that you may furnish, soon to see an efficient army of the valley, I remain, most respectfully, your obedient servant,.

T. J. JACKSON,

Major-General, P. A. C. S.

CENTREVILLE, October 25, 1861.

General S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General, Richmond:

GENERAL: I have had the honor to receive a copy of General Orders, Numbers 15 [October 22].

Under that order all the cavalry of this army is to belying to the First Division, Major-General Van Dorn's. I beg this arrangement may be reconsidered by the administration. All the cavalry of the army is now employed on outpost duty. The office at the head of that service (Brigadier-General Stuart) should be under the immediate orders of the commander of the army, and make his reports to and receive his instructions from him. In like manner, in battle, the commanding general must keep under his own control the largest portion of the cavalry, so that General Van Dorn's division would actually become the weakest in the army, although he is the senior major-general, with high reputation. Should the cavalry be placed with a division of infantry, it must be kept out of position, either for its daily service of observing the enemy or to play its part in battle. Its pickets now cover a front of some 20 miles. To collect its regiments in a division on the right flank of the line would produce great inconvenience, while the loss of time in reporting to the general of division instead of to the commanding general might lead to disaster. For these reasons I respectfully suggest hat the cavalry brigade be not included in any division, but left under the immediate orders of the commanding general, and that the First Division be increased by an equal force of infantry.

I regret very much that we have not cavalry enough to give Major January E. Van. Dorn a division of troops of that arm.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. E. JOHNSTON,.

General.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,

Numbers 462.
October 26, 1861.

Brigadier General Cadmus M. Wilcox, P. A. C. S., is assigned to the command of the Fifth Brigade, Second Corps, Army of the Potomac, and will be obeyed accordingly.

By command of General Johnston:

THOS. G. RHETT,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

RICHMOND, October 27, 1861.

Governor JOHN LETCHER, Present:

DEAR SIR: We are in very urgent straits for powder, which is being required on all sides for the defense of the frontiers of Virginia. During your absence the Secretary of State gave me an order for 500 bar- .