Should you have to fall back and it is practicable, it should be towards us by Bland's or Brentsville. The batteries should not be watch when you are contending with an army coming from above; to oppose it, get all troops together. If we beat it, we get back the guns supposing a river party to have occupied the batteries in the mean time. The only question in, where to meet him-whether on the Occoquan or where you are. York knowledge of localities enables to judge better than we can do here. I suppose that if an army approaches us and another the Occoquan, lesser columns will approach by every intermediate road. It might and would be well, as far as practicable, to have a party at each crossing place to impose upon these column and give information of them.,

Yours, truly,

J. E. JOHNSTON.

CENTREVILLE, December 7, 1861.

General COOPER:

Cannot Brigadier-General Jackson's troops come here and General Loring re-enforce the Valley District?

J. E. JOHNSTON.

CENTREVILLE, December 7, 1861.

Brigadier-General WRITING:

DEAR GENERAL: I have received your note of to-day.* Your conclusion is excellent; you can do nothing better than to whip these gentleman who are giving us such anxiety. We have heretofore been considering the matter under a single aspect-the consideration of a heavy force thrown against you; this may not be done. We must watch. You must get Hampton to look up the Telegraph road as far and as closely as possible. Should it turn out that they intend to neglect you and bring their great force to crush us, then you will have to come up to our help, and after effect of such an army we will go back with you and retake the batteries. We must be prepared for all contingencies. Your speak of Van Dorn as if he were on your side of the Occoquan. He is not-no nearer than to have a brigade (Rodes') between us and Davis' Ford, in observation both ways. I understood that you and Hampton would observe that ford of Wolf Run.

Very truly, yours,

J. E. JOHNSTON.

P. S.- The enemy's left may follow the Telegraph road to Pohick, and then turn to Sangster's, or to Mrs. Violet's, and thence Union Mills Wolf Run, &c. You will have to watch very closely. Do you hear anything from Maryland? Should you march up here, your men should being nothing but their blankets (on their person), cooking implements, and ammunition. It would be well to deposit the knapsacks as safely as possible. The wagons coming should be very light.

CAMP WIGFALL, December 8, 1861.

General JOHNSTON:.

MY DEAR GENERAL: I beg to thank you for the sword you have hovered me by committing to my keeping, and I shall try to return it