that Stonewall Jackson is at or near Aldie, with a large force. The parties sent out toward Aldie and on the Warrenton pike have not yet reported.

JUL. STAHEL.

Major-General.

P. S.-I transmit the above as a report received, but do not give it any credit. I have just received information to the contrary. Campfires have been seen to-night west of Leesburg.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. ABERCROMBIE'S DIVISION,

Numbers 13.
Arlington House, Va., March 30, 1863.

I. Brigadier General Robert Cowdin is hereby relieved from the command of the Second Brigade of this division. Colonel Furr Porter, Fortieth Massachusetts Volunteers, will assume command.

* * * * * * *

By order of Brigadier-General Abercrombie:

J. A. SLIPPER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington, March 30, 1863-2.45 p. m.

Major-General SCHENCK,

Baltimore, Md.:

You must employ the troops of your department against the enemy's raids in Western Virginia. Troops from other departments cannot be sent there. It seems to me that the troops in Western Virginia are too much scattered, and that should be more concentrated on important points.

H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief.

WASHINGTON, D. C.,

March 30, 1863.

Major-General SCHENCK,

Baltimore, Md.:

GENERAL: Your letter of yesterday, with inclosed telegrams, is received. General Hooker assures me that no considerable force of the enemy can possibly be operating in Western Virginia. Probably they are only small cavalry raids. These you must meet by rapidly concentrating your troops on the points really threatened. You must, for this purpose, depend upon your own troops. Additional forces from other departments cannot be sent to you; that is now an impossibility. You have troops enough to defend Western Virginia, and you must rely upon yourself.

In regard to additional horses, you must make your requisitions on the Quartermaster's Department for their purchase. We cannot, at the present time, raise any more cavalry for your department, as everything in the shape of cavalry equipments that we can obtain must be sent to Kentucky and Tennessee. If you can move your infantry with advantage in the Kanawha by horses, the Quartermasters's Department will furnish them, although I think mounted infantry the poorest troops in the world.