RICHMOND,

August 31, 1863.

General SAMUEL JONES,

Union Springs, Va.:

I hear, yet unofficially, that the enemy are advancing on and probably have taken Knoxville. Can you not aid to defend Southwestern Virginia and East Tennessee bordering thereon!

J. A. SEDDON,

Secretary of War.

Abstract from return of the Army of Northern Virginia, General Robert E. Lee, C. S. Army, commanding, for the month of August, 1863; headquarters Orange Court- House.

Present for duty.

Command. Officers. Men. Effective

total

present.

General headquarters 15 ..... ......

First Army Corps

(Longstreet):

Staff 11 ....... ......

McLaws' division 530 5,277 5,277

Pickett's division 356 4,009 4,009

Hood's division 527 5,382 5,382

Total 1,424 14,668 14,668

Second Army Corps

(Ewell):

Staff 18 ...... ......

Rodes division 485 5,640 5,640

Early's division 488 5,279 5,279

Johnson's division 460 4,509 4,509

Total 1,451 15,428 15,428

Third Army Corps (A. P.

Hill):

Staff 15 ....... .......

Anderson's division 470 5,499 5,499

Heth's division 264 3,686 3,685

Wilcox's division 396 4,416 4,416

Total 1,145 13,601 13,600

Cavalry (Stuart):

Headquarters 11 ....... ......

Hampton's brigade 1 9 1,332 1,332

Forz/ ;ee 152 2,295 2,295

s brogade

W. H. F. Lee's brigade 99 1,305 1,305

Jones brigade 110 1,754 1,754

Robertson's brigade 44 623 623

Beckham's artillery 18 392 392

battalion

Total 573 7,701 a 7,701

Artillery (Pendleton):

First Army Corps 99 1,807 1,807

Second Army Corps 86 1,470 1,470

Third Army Corps 82 1,652 1,652

Total 267 4,929 4,929

Grand total 4,875 56,327 56,326

Command. Aggregate Aggregate Pieces of

present present artillery.

and

absent.

General headquarters 15 15 ......

First Army Corps

(Longstreet):

Staff 11 11 ......

McLaws' division 6,789 12,107 ......

Pickett's division 5,316 11,344 ......

Hood's division 7,041 11,700 ......

Total 19,157 35,162 ......

Second Army Corps

(Ewell):

Staff 18 21 ......

Rodes division 7,401 14,984 .....

Early's division 6,802 12,757 .......

Johnson's division 5,746 12,056 .......

Total 19,967 39,818 .......

Third Army Corps (A. P.

Hill):

Staff 15 17 .......

Anderson's division 6,937 12,775 ......

Heth's division 4,646 8,307 .....

Wilcox's division 5,736 11,234 .....

Total 17,334 32,333 ......

Cavalry (Stuart):

Headquarters 11 16 ......

Hampton's brigade 1,725 3,878 .....

Fitz Lee's 2,730 4,814 ......

brigade

W. H. F. Lee's brigade 1,773 3,631 ......

Jones brigade 2,103 3,288 ......

Robertson's brigade 787 1,486 ......

Beckham's artillery 451 568 14

battalion

Total 9,580 17,681 14

Artillery (Pendleton):

First Army Corps 2,099 2,099 87

Second Army Corps 1,782 2,569 79

Third Army Corps 2,020 2,787 66

Total 5,901 8,245 232

Grand total 71,954 133,254 246

a Of the 7,701 men reported as "Effective total," cavalry division, 1,333 are dismounted.