HEADQUARTERS VALLEY DISTRICT, Winchester, Va., December 21, 1861.

Major THOMAS G. RHETT,
Asst. Adjt. General Hdqrs. Department of Northern Virginia:

MAJOR: Part of the Army of the Northwest has arrived here and more of it will be here early next week. I expect Brigadier-General Loring here on next Tuesday, and I would respectfully recommend that he be continued in the command of such forces as he has brought into this district, and that they be designated as the First Division of the Army of the Valley. Please let me know the decision of the commanding general as to what shall constitute General Loring's command and what shall be its designation..

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

T. J. JACKSON,

Major-General, Commanding Valley District.

WAR DEPARTMENT, C. S. A.,

Richmond, December 23, 1861.

Brigadier General W. W. LORING, Staunton:

SIR: Your letters of the 13th instant and 17th instant* have been received, and the measures taken by you in disposing and moving your forces meet the entire approval of the Department.

You will use your own discretion as to the proper force to be left under command of Colonel (now Brigadier General) E. Johnson, and of the length of time it will be proper to hold the pass which the enemy has made sao disastrous an effort to force.

I inclose you a letter for Brigadier-General Johnson,+knowing that it cannot but be agreeable to you conveyed to meritorious and gallant soldiers under your command.

I am, your obedient servant,

J. P. BENJAMIN,

Secretary of War.

RICHMOND, December 23, 1861.

General G. T. BEAUREGARD, Centreville, Va.:

I am afraid, with all my efforts, I shall not succeed in obtaining light battery in exchange for Colhou's battery. There are the batteries here, but neither of them complete, either in men or pieces. I am still endeavoring to complete one of them, and if I succeed will send it.

S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General.

HEADQUARTERS VALLEY DISTRICT, Winchester, December 23, 1861.

General S. COOPER,
Adjutant and Inspector General, C. S. Army:

GENERAL: I respectfully request that such of Brigadier General W. W. Lorning's forces as are on and near the Alleghany Mountains be ordered to

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*Not found..

+See p. 464.

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