event they will proceed through Spottsylvania Court-House, and take position south of the North Anna, in the vicinity of where it is crossed by the Richmond and Fredericksburg Railroad. It is reported that the enemy is moving from Warrenton to-day, and it is probable that he is marching upon Fredericksburg. I desire you to be on the alert, and give me notice of any movement you may discover. You must also be careful to notify Colonel Groner, Sixty-first Virginia Volunteers, of any advance of the enemy that may threaten their safety.

Most respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. E. LEE,

General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA, November 15, 1862.

Colonel W. B. BALL, Commanding Fredericksburg:

COLONEL: I informed you yesterday, by telegraph, that I desire the railroad between Fredericksburg and Aquia Creek to be entirely broken up. The bridges and culverts must be thoroughly destroyed, the crossties removed and piled, with the rails placed across them, and,when the timber is sufficiently dry, fired; the weight of the bars will thus cause them to bend, and prevent their being relaid. If you can make arrangements to bring the iron back and send it to Richmond, it will be better and I desire you to do so, but, if you cannot, treat in the manner described above. See the superintendent of the road, and endeavor to save the iron. Your telegraph of last evening, reporting the force of cavalry and artillery to have crossed at Ellis' Ford, and to be advance on Fredericksburg, has been received. There must be some mistake made by your informant, or the pickets at Ellis' Ford are negligent of their duty. No such report has been made to me, and for a body of the enemy to cross at Ellis' Ford and proceed on the route toward Fredericksburg, they must previously have entered in the forks of the Rappahannock and Rapidan, and escaped all our pickets. If you find that your courier has given you wrong information, he must be corrected and punished.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
R. E. LEE,

General.

CAMP NEAR CULPEPER, November 17, 1862.

His Excellency JEFFERSON DAVIS,

President of the Confederate States:

Mr. PRESIDENT: There is a general movement of the enemy from Warrenton, and he is falling down to the Orange and Alexandria Railroad. I am not certain as to his destination. There are indications of his retiring toward Alexandria, but I have apprehended that he would transfer himself to Fredericksburg, and establish his base on the Potomac and Rappahannock, but there is nothing to show his purpose in that direction beyond the guards established on the roads leading to Fredericksburg, which would naturally be done to cut off information of his movements toward Alexandria. I have heard of no preparation to rebuild the wharves at Aquia Creek. Colonel Ball is engaged in breaking up the railroad to that point. I should think some provision would be made for subsisting a large army if a movement upon Fredericksburg was designed. The enemy's trains from Warrenton move in