colonel or captain, without my leave, to take my property? I would not haver had it destroyed for thrice its value. I shall never be able to rebuild, and the whole place will have to be deserted.

I should not trouble you, but I must give vent to my indignation. I give up all hope of saving any of my property except the soil, and I have a wife and seven children to provide with bread.

Yours, truly,

C. W. C. DUNNINGTON.

[Indorsement.]

ENQUIRER OFFICE, December 19, 1861.

Honorable J. P. BENJAMIN:

The foregoing is from as true as man and as faithful to the South as breathes. He is an exile from Washington for his principles, leaving and losing thereby the most of his property. The rest is going as he states. Please protect him, and oblige his friend and yours.

Very respectfully,

R. M. SMITH.

LEESBURG, VA., December 16, 1861.

General G. T. BEAUREGARD:

SIR: Inclosed your will find General Stone's reply* to my letter;l the real object of my correspondence being to get in the following sentence: "I will hang these villains unless forbidden by my immediate superior. General [G. W.] Smith, at Gum Spring" It is left to the consideration of the general commanding whether there ought not to be some support of this assertion.

I learn that the pickets at Dranesville fall back to Broad Run at night, and that successful foraging parties of the enemy constantly depredate around Dranesville. I have not destroyed the brigade over Broad Run, as Captain Alexander has discovered two good fords over that stream.

I returned last night from Point of Rocks. Private houses in that vicinity have been bombarded from the other side of the river; private carriages, with ladies in them, have been fired at, horses have been stole, &c.

The remand made in my last latter was drawn out by my statement in regard to the inadequacy of our force to prevent surprise. If attack

on all sides, I thought we would lose less by a determined resistance than by a running and retreating fight. Would it not be well to let us have some guns of large caliber to cope with the enemy's heavy artillery?

With great respect,

D. H. HILL,

Brigadier-General, P. A. C/. S.

HDQRS. FIRST CORPS, ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
Centreville, December 16, 1861.

Brigadier General D. H. HILL,

Commanding C. S. Forces in Loudon Country, Leesburg, Va.:

GENERAL: Your letter of this morning has been received and its con

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* Not found.

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