XI. The officers will be placed at the head of the list. The enlisted men in the following order: 1st, furloughed men; 2nd, detached; 3rd, absent, sick and wounded, in hospital; 4th, deserters. The list will be aggregate at the end as follows:

Total absent-Officers........................................

Furloughed men.................................

Detached........................................

Absent, sick and wounded, in hospital, &c.......

Deserters.......................................

---

Total...........................................

Tables of these returns will be consolidated by brigades and divisions, and accompany them.

By command of Major-General Hooker:

JOS. DICKINSON,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

WASHINGTON, D. C.,

January 31, 1863.

Major General JOSEPH HOOKER,

Commanding Army of the Potomac:

GENERAL: The Ninth Army Corps, now under your command, will be sent to Fort Monroe, to report to Major-General Dix. The troops at Harper's Ferry and in the Shenandoah Valley have been placed under the command of Major-General Schenck, headquarters at Baltimore. Brigadier-General Kelley, headquarters at Harper's Ferry, is in the immediate command. Major-General Heintzelman is in command of the troops in the immediate vicinity and for the defense of Washington. These officers will cordially co-operate with you to the full extent of the means at their command. Their forces, however, are not sufficient to resist a strong attack from the main army of the rebels, and we must, therefore, look to the Army of the Potomac to either cover these places or to succor them in case they should be seriously threatened by the enemy.

On your recommendation, the Pennsylvania Reserves will be exchanged with General Heintzelman for an equal number of Pennsylvania troops. Requisitions will be made on the Quartermaster's Department for transportation to effect this exchange and to transport the Ninth Army Corps to Fort Monroe.

In regard to the operations of your own army, you can best judge when and where it can move to the greatest advantage, keeping in view always the importance of covering Washington and Harper's Ferry either directly or by so operating as to be able to punish any force of the enemy sent against them.

I inclose herewith a copy of my letter of the 7th instant to Major- General Burnside, in answer to an inquiry from him if I approved his crossing the Rappahannock with his army. That letter was submitted to the President and approved by him. It embodies my views in regard to the duty of the Army of the Potomac to act against the enemy in its front whenever circumstances will permit.

All requisitions for supplies will, of course, be made on the proper departments, but should any one fail to duly respond to such requisitions, you will report the fault to these headquarters.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief.