toward Huntersville, especially any approach via Monterey. I hope yu will be successful in beating back any attempt he may make on your lines in th edirection of Lewisburg.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. E. LEE,

General.

WAR DEPARTMENT, C. S.,

Richmond, Va., August 18, 1863.

Captain W. B. MALLORY,

Commanding Post, Charlottesville, Va.:

SIR: In the Examiner of to- day it is stated that-

At a sale of Yankee plunder taken by Mosby and his men, held at Charlottesville last week, thirty odd thousand dollars were realized to be divided among th egallant band.

You are requested to inquire whether such sale was made, and to report the facts to the Department.

Respectfully,

J. A. SEDDON,

Decretary of War.

HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY DIVISION,
August 19, 1863.

Honorable JAMES A. SEDDON,

Decretary of War:

SIR: In a conversation with Major Mosby, the partisan leader, I suggested to him theuse of Rains' percussion torpedoes on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad. He cordially approved of the suggestion, and requested me to write to you for a supply of the explosives in question. If, therefore, you concur with us in thinking that much damage may be done to the enemy by means of these bombs placed beneath the rails of tha tparticular road, which is used exclusively for th etransportation of troops and army supplies, you will confer a favor upon Major Mosby by ordering him to be supplied with them immediately.

While writing, I take occasion to ask another favor of the Department, which is, to revoke the commission to raise a company, which, on my application, was granted some three months ago to Edward P. Castleman, of XClarke County. I do this also at Mosby's request, as I find from him tha tCastlemen's conduct is not what I thought it would be when I recommended him to you for a command. He has not succeeded in raising a company, has only some 20 men under him, has failed to report to Mosby as he promised to do, and in the exercise of his own independent will has been committing depredations and taking horses from our own citizens. If Castleman's commission, as I presume it is a contingent one, be revoke, those with him can be added to our own army as conscripts. No news here. All quiet along th elines in front.

I have the honor to be, most respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. R. BOTELER.

P. S.- General Stuart suggests that some one acquainted with the use of the torpedoes be sent up with them, as they are dangerous things in unskillful hands.