of subsistence when the army shall be removed from the vicinity of railroads. The commanding general regrets the necessity for curtailing the comforts of an army which has evinced so much self-denial in the endurance of privations, but feels satisfied that ready acquiescence will be shown in all measures tending to secure success and the more speedy conclusion of the war, and appeals to officers and men to aid him in the accomplishment of this greatly desired object by the strict observance of orders and careful preservation of the property in their hands, daily becoming more valuable by the difficulty of replacing it.

By command of General R. E. Lee:

R. H. CHILTON,

Assistant Adjutant and Inspector-General.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA,

Numbers 81.
March 22, 1863.

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XII. Brigadier General H. L. Bennings is relieved from duty with his present brigade, and will report to Lieutenant General J. Longstreet, commanding, &c., at Petersburg, Va., for assignment to the command of the brigade of Hood's division formerly commanded by Brigadier-General Toombs.

* * * * *

By command of General R. E. Lee:

W. H. TAYLOR,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA,
March 23, 1863.

Major General J. E. B. STUART,

Commanding Cavalry Division:

GENERAL: I have just received at letter from General Hooker, inclosing a General Order of the United States War Department, which so limits the paroles which will be acknowledged as valid that I think it best to send all prisoners to Richmond until further orders. Please inform the officers of your command to this effect.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. E. LEE,

General.

(Same to Generals W. E. Jones and Imboden.)

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA,
March 23, 1863.

Brigadier General W. E. JONES,

Commanding Valley District:

GENERAL: Your letter of March 16, adverting to the omission of your expedition to Moorefield in the General Orders announcing the successes of the cavalry in the winter months, has been received. I regret the omission very much. It was not from any want of appreciation of the services of your command, but was entirely accidental. When your letter arrived announcing the results of your expedition, I forwarded it to the Department, with my commendation indorsed upon it, and when I came to write the order, it escaped my memory. In fact,