grapher General Homles to-day to halt it near Dumfries. A regiment left to-day by Central; another will leave on the 18th by Central road, and one on the 16th and one on the 17th by Fredericksburg, all unarmed. A North Carolina regiment from Loring's command, armed, left Stanton yesterday for Manassas by Central and Orange road.

S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General.

WAS DEPARTMENT, C. S. A.,

Richmond, November 15, 1861.

Brigadier General JOHN B. FLOYD, Commanding Army of Kanawha:

SIR: I have hitherto from replaying to your several letters in relation to your proposed movements during the coming winter, because it was necessary first to ascertain what force would be under your command, and whether such force could reasonably be expected to succeed in any offensive operation. I have at last succeeded in sending to your aid three fine regiments,t hat will be with you before your receipt of this letter, one under Colonel Starke, and two Tennessee regiment under Brigadier-General Donelson this force the President is satisfied you ought to be able to hold position at Cotton Mountain, and he hopes you will not fail to do so, as it is very obvious that on your abandonment of so important a point the enemy, now taught by experience, will not fail to seize it. Hardships and exposure will undoubtedly be suffered by our troops, but this is war, and we cannot hope to conquer our liberties or secure our rights by ease and comfort. We cannot believe that our gallant and determined citizens soldiers will shank from a companing the result of which must be to drive the enemy outside of our borders and to secure for us the possession of a valley of such vast importance as that of the Kanawha at the present critical juncture. I therefore hope that you will not feel compelled to abandon Cotton Mountain in order to fall back on Raleigh Court-House, or any other point, until you have forced the enemy to abandon their camp at the junction of the Gauley and Kanawha. I have sent you a rifled twelve-pounder within the last few days, and will send you another in a few days-more. I am very sorry we have no 24-pounder howitzer. Do you best to keep your to Newborn in transitable order, and supplies shall not fail you.

I am, your obedient servant,

J. P. BENJAMIN,

Acting Secretary of War.

HEADQUARTERS,
Centreville, November 16, 1861.

Honorable J. P. Benjamin, Acting Secretary of War:

SIR: I respectfully inclose herewith copies of two letters just received from Brigadier-General Whiting. his officer, with his town brigade and three Texan regiments of Wogfall's brigade, is in the neighboroughood of Dumfries. I have directed that the three new regiments shall be added to this force-those coming via Fredericksburg.

My object in laying these letters before you is to show the importance of addition re-enforcement to enable Brigadier-General Whiting to defeat such attempts of the enemy as he expect. If you have any