Abstract from return of the District of West Virginia, Major General Jacob D. Cox, U. S. Army, commanding, for December 31, 1862; headquarters Marietta, Ohio.

Present

for duty

Command. Officers Men. Aggregat Aggregat Pieces

e e of

present present field

and artille

absent ry

Headquarters, 13 86 108 122 ---

staff,and

escort

Railroad 286 7,005 7,999 9,197 19

Division

(Kelley)

Cheat Mountain 313 7,112 8,062 8,811 12

Division

(Milroy)

First Kanawha 232 5,031 5,983 7,382 10

Division

(Crook)

Second Kanawha 217 5,134 6,281 7,562 10

Division

(Scammon)

Total 1,061 24,368 28,433 33,074 51

REMARKS.

Since last report General Milroy has been ordered to report to General Kelley, and General Kelley has notified these headquarters that he is ordered to report the whole command to General Schenck. No reports, therefore, have been received from Generals Kelley ad Milroy, and this report, as to them, is made up from former reports.

The Thirtieth, Thirty-seventh, and Forty-seventh Ohio, and Fourth Virginia Regiments of Infantry, under Brigadier-General Ewing, were ordered out of the district December 28, and sent to General Grant's command, on the Mississippi River, and joined the Fifteenth Army Corps.

EXECUTIVE MANSION,

Washington, January 1, 1863

Major-General HALLECK:

MY DEAR SIR: General Burnside wishes to cross the Rappahannock with his army, but his grand division commanders all oppose the movement. If in such a difficulty as this you do not help, you fail me precisely in the point for which I sought your assistance. You know what General Burnside's plan is, and it is my wish that you go with him to the ground, examine it as far as practicable, confer with the officers, getting their judgment and ascertaining their temper; in a word, gather all the elements for forming a judgment of your own, and then tell General Burnside that you do approve or that you do not approve his plan. Your military skill is useless to me if you will not do this.

Yours, very truly,

A. LINCOLN.

[Indorsement.]

JANUARY 1, 1863

Withdrawn, because considered harsh by General Halleck.

A. LINCOLN.

HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,

Washington, January 1, 1863

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War, Washington, D. C.:

SIR: From my recent interview with the President and yourself, and from the President's letter of this morning, which you delivered to me at your reception, I am led to believe that there is a very important difference of opinion in regard to my relations toward generals commanding armies in the field, and that I cannot perform the duties of my