in the Kanawha Valley. Means have already been taken to prevent the incursions of guerrillas from the region of the Upper Sandy, and i hope there will be no more trouble from them.

Mr. Montague's wholesale assertion that Union men in the valley have "no more favors shown them than the meanest dogs," deprives the rest of his communication of reliability, as, if he knows anything of the matter, he knows he is making a misstatement, and it is quite probable that he is trying to cover up his neglect of duty in his department by such abuse of the military officers.

Any specific complaints will meet with prompt investigation. The troops stationed at Winfield are part of the Thirteenth Virginia Volunteers, and I desire that you will require Mr. Montague to report at once whether he complains of them or of the general officers in command in the valley, giving full and specific details of the ground of his complaint, informing him that he will be expected to make good the charges, or be held responsible for a malicious effort to make trouble between the civil and military authorities in West Virginia.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. D. COX,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
December 24, 1862-8 p.m. (Received 8.05 p.m.)

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief:

Have been out visiting the troops,and have received yours of 2 p.m. Will try to send General Foster a brigadier-general. Will answer you definitely to-morrow.

A. E. BURNSIDE,

Major-General, Commanding.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,

No. 192. Camp near Falmouth, Va., December 24, 1862.

I. In order to facilitate the return to duty of officers and men detained at the camp of convalescents, stragglers, &c., near Alexandria, Major W. H. Wood, Seventeenth Infantry, assistant provost-marshal-general, Army of the Potomac, will repair to Alexandria and take charge of all such officers and men in the various camps of that vicinity as are reported "for duty in the field," superintending their muster and embarkation by corps, under the direction of the corps officer designated for that purpose, and providing the proper escort for the detachment on board the steamboat to Aquia Creek.

II. As the men in those camps are without arms, frequently without proper clothing, and therefore useless with their regiments until supplied, each corps commander will appoint, subject to the approval of the commander of his grand division, a suitable officer to take charge of the arming, equipping, clothing, and conducting to corps headquarters, for distribution to their respective regiments and commands, all officers and men of the corps who may be turned over to him by Major Wood.

III. The corps officer charged with this duty must keep himself thoroughly posted as to the caliber and description of all arms, kinds of equipments, clothing, &c., used by the various regiments and commands

56 R R-VOL XXI