indicated on the accompanying sketch map* as near the house marked "Couse." Make your position as strong as you can, to protect yourself against a movement form the direction of Chancellorsville, and take every necessary step to secure yourself against any effort that the enemy may make. The general also desires that you will carefully examine the country between the position above described and the camp of Anderson's division, with the view of being prepared for any flank movement on the part of the enemy that you may be called on to meet. Please describe your position when you shall have assumed it, with anything of note that you may have to communicate.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

[G. MOXLEY SORREL,]

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST ARMY CORPS,
May 31, 1863-8.30 p. m.

Major General JOHN B. HOOD,

Commanding Division:

GENERAL: I wrote your his afternoon in reference to the position you were to take between the rivers Ny and Po. From information just received from our scouts, it is thought that the enemy is preparing to fall back, and the order of this afternoon is recalled. In the place of it, I am instructed to direct that you resume to-morrow the camp you have just left, notifying me immediately on your return to it. Keep, as before, your courier at the telegraph office at Rapidan Station, to enable me to communicate with you. The commanding general desires you to understand that whenever you may be reliably informed that the enemy is crossing the river below you, you will, without orders, put your command in motion for Guiney's Station, taking the most direct route, and notifying us of your march.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

[G. MOXLEY SORREL,]

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Abstract from return of the Army of Northern Virginia, General Robert E. Lee, C. S. Army, commanding, for the month of May, 1863; headquarters, Fredericksburg, Va.

Present for duty.

Command.+ Officers. Men. Effective

total

present.

General staff. 17 ... ..

First Army Corps

(Longstreet):

Staff. 13 ... ...

Anderson's division. 643 6,797 6,797

McLaws' division. 627 6,684 6,684

Hood's division. 690 7,030 7,030

Pickett's division. 615 6,072 6,072

Total First Army Corps. 2,588 26,583 26,583

Command.+ Aggregate Aggregate Pieces of

present. present artillery

and

absent.

General staff. 17 17 ...

First Army Corps

(Longstreet):

Staff. 13 13 ...

Anderson's division. 9,159 13,676 ...

McLaws' division. 8,736 12,802 ...

Hood's division. 9,148 12,587 ...

Pickett's division. 7,945 12,050 ...

Total First Army Corps. 35,001 51,128 ...

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*Not found.

+But see reorganization of May 30, p. 840.

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