WESTON, VA.,

May 15, 1863.

Colonel W. H. CHESEBROUGH,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Baltimore:

Imbodone's and Jackson's forces are effecting their retreat by Summerville, toward Staunton, with their artillery. Jones' forces are moving from Glenville toward the Gauley. Are there no forces that can be thrown out to Staunton to cut them off? I have re-occupied Buckhannon with cavalry, and am here with the infantry of the Fourth and General Kenly's brigades, waiting rations and transportation to re-occupy Sutton, Brich, and Bulltown. I have only rations for to-day and to-morrow, and it takes all the trains in the country to get rations to this point as fast as they are consumed. Wagons cannot be half loaded, on account of the bad condition of the roads.

B. S. ROBERTS.

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

BALTIMORE, MD.,

May 15, 1863.

General B. F. KELLEY,

Grafton, Va.:

The general commanding approves your suggestion to gradually move back a portion of the troops to Harper's Ferry and other points.

CHESEBROUGH

Assistant Adjutant-General.

WASHINGTON, D. C.,

May 15, 1863.

Major-General HEINTZELMAN,

Washington, D. C.,:

GENERAL: Major-General Hooker informed me yesterday that he should not require the Orange Railroad any longer for supplies, except for his cavalry pickets; that he would picket the river to Rappahannock Station and the railroad to Cedar Run, your cavalry pickets thence to our lines. I therefore think your infantry should, as soon as this arrangement can be carried out,be drawn in so as not to be exposed to enemy's raids. Your cavalry pickets and scouts will be able to give you information of the enemy's approach long before he can reach Bull Run, if he should attempt anything in force. The utmost vigilance should be exercised on the outer lines.

Very respectfully,

H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,

Numbers 133.
Camp near Falmouth, Va., May 16, 1863

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XVII. The necessity for the order heretofore issued requiring the portion of the Cavalry Corps under Brigadier-General Pleasonton to be held intact having passed away, the order is revoked. The Cavalry