HDQRS. ARTILLERY, ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA, February 16, 1863.

Colonel E. P. ALEXANDER,
Commanding Artillery Battalion:

COLONEL: Will you, if your other duties allow, make a personal examination of the bridge over the North Anna on the road leading to Hanover Junction, toward providing for its being made safe, and, so soon as you determine what should be done with it, have means taken for its very prompt repair. If necessary, make all the requisite details on your battalion for cutting and hauling the timber and having the work done. Any funds required will be furnished by Major Page, quartermaster, on proper call. By details from the General Reserve, I have had a good bridge made opposite Hewlett's, Virginia Central Railroad. If your duties do not allow, please name an officer to superintend and direct the work to be done. Great energy should be exerted, as a movement may be soon expected, and a bridge then may be important. The bridge I had constructed took about ten day; yours would take longer. The nearest saw-mill should be employed. There is a man named Temple Blunt, living near the Fork Church, who understands bridge-building. He directed in the other case, and might do so in this, to facilitate the enterprise; before, he received $100. Hoping that what is necessary may be speedily done,

I am, colonel, respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. N. PENDLETON,

Brigadier-General, &c.

HEADQUARTERS ARTILLERY CORPS, February 16, 1863.

General R. E. LEE,

Commanding:

GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge your favor of 13th instant.

Having visited Colonel Crutchfield's camp on the 14th instant, I learned from him the desirableness of two or three minute modifications in the plan of artillery organization recently submitted. He expects Captain Garber's battery, arranged for Battalion E, Second Corps, to be ordered to join Brigadier-General Imboden in the Valley, General Imboden having applied for it, he informed me. In such event, he requests Captain Thompson's battery, arranged for Battalion P, First Corps, to remain in Second Corps, where it has long been, and to belong to Battalion E, one reason being that General Hays' brigade of Louisianians is in that division, and Thompson's men are from Louisiana. If this be deemed best, I respectfully recommend that Captain [N. A.] Sturdivant's battery, now stationed at Port Walthall, on the Appomattox, below Richmond, be assigned to Battalion P, and ordered to report to Major Dearing, if there be not reasons of importance to the contrary.

Colonel Crutchfield also recommends that Captain [D. G.] McIntosh, of South Carolina, he made major, and assigned instead of Brockenbrough, proposed for Battalion N, and that Captain Braxton be made major, to command that battalion, while Major Hardaway should be rather assigned to Battalion R, under Lieutenant-Colonel Carter.

Captain Brockenbrough [being] at present disabled, Colonel Crutchfield wishes for an inspector some time hence.

Respecting the field officers proposed, very great care has been taken, and I feel assured mistakes are guarded against as far as possible.