Bath, a distance of 16 miles, in command of 200 infantry and 25 mounted militia. All the volunteers and regulars are stationed here.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

T. J. JACKSON,

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

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEP'T OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA,
Numbers 13
January 10, 1862.

* * * * * * * * *

IV. In accordance with instructions from the War Department, Major General Earl Van Dorn is relieved from duty in this department, and will report to the Secretary of War, at Richmond, Va.

By command of General Johnston:

THOS. G. RHETT,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST CORPS, ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
Near Centreville, January 12, 1862.

Brigadier General D. H. HILL, Commanding C. S. Forces, Leesburg:

GENERAL: your letter of this date having been submitted to the general commanding, he approves your suggested application to the War Department for an increase of your force.

He regrets his inability to send you a suitable engineer, but has dispatched the best at his command. At least half a dozen competent engineers and as many each of topographical and ordnance officers should be with this army; but there is only one officer of engineers on duty with it..

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

THOMAS JORDAN,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

LEESBURG, VA., January 13, 1862.

Honorable J. P. BENJAMIN, Secretary of War:

SIR: With the permission of the general commanding, I address you directly upon the subject of an increase of force at this point. You are aware that our force at Centreville is scarce a third as large as it ought to be; and yet that its rout would do more to demoralize our Confederacy than the subjugation of two States. In the weak condition of that army I cannot look for aid from that quarter. Their fortification may prevent a direct attack, and it has been a favorite scheme of the enemy to turn them by a combined movement from Point of Rocks and Edwards Ferry via Leesburg. The rashness of Colonel Baker defeated a well-devised and well-arranged plan of general advance on the 21st October. The whole army here understand that immense masses of men had gathered then at these points to be thrown over here; the defeat and rout of the van discouraged and disheartened the main body, but the original plan has never been abandoned. In the last month the enemy has thrown up most formidable batteries to cover all the crossings.