of like destitution in Stafford, where the Federal Army alone has been.

Would it not be well to forward such supplies of flour and meat as can be obtained to Culpeper Court-House and Fredericksburg, with agents for its distribution to those soldiers' families in distress, so as to relieve their wants during the coming winter?

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. E. LEE,

General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF WESTERN VIRGINIA,
Dublin, November 6, 1863.

General S. COOPER,

Richmond:

Your telegram received. Questions cannot be answered with entire accuracy just now, owing to movements of the troops.

Major-General Ransom's field return for October 31, including troops at Saltville, showed: Present for duty, 506 officers and 6,096 enlisted men; sick and inefficient, 33 officers and 822 enlistedmen; total, 539 officers and 6,918 enlisted men; aggregate, 7,457.

Brigadier-General Echols and Colonel McCausland's brigades show; Present for duty, 148 officers and 2,552 enlisted men; absent, 55 officers and 993 enlisted men; aggregate present and absent, 227 officers and 3,885 enlisted men.

Colonel W. L. Jackson's return not in, but he has not more than 1,000 men for duty.

Colonel Ferguson has two regiments of Jenkins' brigade in front of Lewisburg, with 72 officers and 810 enlisted men present for duty; aggregate present and absent, 1,629. Complete returns will arrive in a few days.

Fifteenth, Twenty-second, Twenty-ninth, Thirtieth, Thirty-sixth, Forty-fifty, Fifty-first, and Sixtieth [Virginia Infantry] Regiments, and Twenty-third, Twenty-sixth, and Thirtieth Virginia Infantry [Battalions]; Eighth, Fourteenth, Sixteenth, Seventeenth, Nineteenth, Twentieth, and Twenty-first Regiment [Virginia Cavalry], and Thirty-fourth, Thirty-sixth, and Thirty-seventh Battalions Virginia Cavalry; First Tennessee and Fourth Kentucky Regiments Cavalry; Sixteenth Georgia Battalion of Cavalry; fragments of Thomas' Legion, aggregating 399, under Brigadier General A. E. Jackson.

Reports are made on every variety of blanks, and it will be impossible to fill out the form sent for the Department until the brigades are supplied with blanks of the same kind.

I send the above message in cipher as directed.

SAM. JONES,

Major-General.

DUBLIN, November 6, 1863.

Colonel JOHN McCAUSLAND, Princeton:

The Sixtieth [Virginia] Regiment will be at the Narrows in ample time to assist you in case necessity.

By order:

WM. B. MYERS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.