GENERAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS EIGHTH ARMY CORPS,

Numbers 2.
Baltimore, Md. January 5, 1863

I. The following named troops of this army corps shall constitute a separate brigade: The One hundred and twenty-ninth New York Volunteer Infantry, Colonel P. A. Porter; the Fifth New York Volunteer Artillery, Lieutenant Colonel Edward Murray; Company I, Second Regiment U. S. Artillery; the Eighteenth Regiment Connecticut Volunteer Infantry, Colonel William G. Ely; the two companies of the One hundred and seventy-ninth Regiment Pennsylvania Militia, at Cockeysville; the independent company, Patapsco Guards, at York, Pa., and all troops stationed upon the line of the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad, as far as Perryville,and all troops stationed along the line of the Northern Central Railroad, including York, Pa., and generally all forces that now are or may be hereafter assigned to the protection of either of the said railroads,and all forces that now are or hereafter may be stationed in Fort McHenry, Fort Federal Hill, or Fort Marshall.

II. Bvt. Brigadier General W. W. Morris, U. S. Army, is assigned to the command of this brigade.

By command of Major-General Schenck:

WM. D. WHIPPLE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

WASHINGTON, D. C., January 6, 1863.

Major-General BURNSIDE, Falmouth, Va.,:

GENERAL: The last accounts from Rosecrans prove beyond a doubt that his victory is complete, but his losses great. The matter of Vicksburg is still in doubt.

I am pretty well satisfied that no large force, if any, has gone west from the army in your front; but Foster is very certain that General Hill has been detached, with 30,000, to North Carolina.

Colonel McKibbin, of my staff, who goes to visit his brother in Sykes' division, will hand you this. We are exceedingly anxious about Sherman, and await further advices.

Yours, truly,

H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief.

WASHINGTON, D. C., Falmouth, Va.:

General Milroy telegraphs that General Hill and Loring are advancing on Winchester from Staunton, by New Market, in large force, and wishes to know if any movement of the Army of the Potomac is likely to be made to counteract this operation.

H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,

January 6, 1863-11.15 p.m. (Received 12 a.m., 7th.)

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief:

Your dispatch is received. I can scarcely believe that General Hill is in the valley, and I certainly cannot conceive why he should move from