Creek Station. For the present, you will please draw from Belle Plain, at which point they are landing both forage and commissary stores, an abundant supply of which (except hay) it is thought can be had at once.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JNumbers G. PARKE,

Chief of Staff.

HDQRS. RIGHT GRAND DIV., ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
Near Falmouth, Va., November 19, 1862.

Major-General HOOKER,

Commanding Center Grand Division:

GENERAL: This morning Major-General Burnside directed me to send an officer of his staff back to you with certain instructions. I can find none of his staff, and I therefore take the liberty of communicating directly with you. General Burnside wishes you to cross two-thirds of your command to this bank of the run, near and south of Hartwood Church, leaving one-third on the opposite bank. He wishes you to let him know the exact condition of the rear, so far as you can give it to him, especially information of Stoneman.

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

J. H. TAYLOR,

Chief of Staff and Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
Near Falmouth, November 19, 1862-10.20 p.m.

Major-General HOOKER,

Commanding Center Grand Division, Hartwood:

GENERAL: Your dispatch, reporting position of your command, received. The commanding general tenders his thanks for carrying out so successfully the most difficult part of the late movement-bringing up the rear. A dispatch was sent you this evening by Captain Weir, of General Pleasonton's staff. The general will communicate with you in the morning. The pontoon train has not yet arrived, but we expect it to-morrow.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JNumbers G. PARKE,

Chief of Staff.

HEADQUARTERS CENTER GRAND DIVISION,
Camp at Hartwood, Va., November 19, 1862.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

I find myself in command of two corps. When Sickles joins, which ought to be in the course of two days, they will number nearly 40,000 men, a sufficient force to go almost anywhere, with the enemy scattered as it is now. My position is at Hartwood, 4 miles from what is called the United States Ford, across the Rappahannock. I have to-day requested Major-General Burnside to allow me to cross the ford, and to march directly forward to Bowling Green, and, may be, to Sexton's