General Prince will report to Major General W. B. Franklin, commanding left grand division.

* * * * * * *

XIII. During the temporary absence of Lieutenant-Colonel Hays, Captain G. A. De Russy, Fourth Artillery, will command the artillery reserve.

By command of Major-General Burnside:

EDWARD M. NEILL,

Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEFENSES OF THE UPPER POTOMAC,
Cumberland, Md. December 24, 1862.

Lieutenant Colonel WILLIAM D. WHIPLE,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Baltimore, Md.:

COLONEL: I have the honor to forward copy of consolidated report of Railroad Division for December 20, forwarded at date to Major-General Cox; also copy of Major-General Morell's report of Defenses of the Upper Potomac, of December 10, to the Headquarters Army of the Potomac. These are intended to indicate to the major-general commanding the number of troops, and where stationed on line of road between Harper's Ferry and the Ohio.

Brigadier-General Milroy's division,now at Petersburg and Moorefiled, in Hardy County, [West] Virginia, has recently been assigned to my command, and directed by Major-General Cox to report to me. When his consolidated report is received, I will at once furnish a complete return of the troops of this command.

I am, very respectfully,&c.,

B. F. KELLEY,

Brigadier-General.

CINCINNATI, OHIO, December 24, 1862-2 p.m.

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief:

General Kelley has, with his own and General Milroy's division, about 16,000 present for duty. Shall the troops to be withdrawn from the Kanawha be sent to Kelley, or can they be sent to General Rosecrans, or into Kentucky, to cover his communications and relieve a part of his force, now employed in that way?

H. G. WRIGHT,

Major-General, Commanding.

QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Washington City, December 24, 1862.

Colonel R. INGALLS,

Chief Quartermaster, Headquarters Army of the Potomac:

Colonel Rucker refers your dispatch, asking for two more light-draught steamers for the Aquia Depot. Colonel Crosman, deputy quartermaster-general, Philadelphia, telegraphs to-day that there are no more light-draught steamers to be had there, all being now in Government service. Major Van Vliet has been informed of names of steamers in New York, suggested by Mr. Wager, agent of Captain Hall, assistant quartermaster,