other points. You can easily estimate your strength here, and I would suggest for your consideration whether, in this state of things, you might not be able to spare a portion of your force to protect your line of communication against attempted raids by the enemy.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

S. COOPER,

Adjutant-General.

[Inclosure Numbers 2.]

RICHMOND, VA., June 28, 1863.

General R. E. LEE,

Commanding, &c.:

GENERAL: Yours of the 23d* received this evening, and hasten to reply to the point presented in relation to the forces on the coast of South Carolina and Georgia. The hopes indulged as to our operations at the time which would intervene between the discharge of the enemy's trained troops and the substitution of them by others, have been disappointed by the very error against which it was sought by warning to guard. Grant reached the river, got re-enforcement, made intrenchments, and General Johnston continues to call for re-enforcements, though his first requisition was more than filled by withdrawing troops from Generals Beauregard and Bragg. General Bragg is threatened with attack, has fallen back to his intrenched position at Tullahoma, and called on Buckner for aid. General Beauregard says+ that no troops have been withdrawn by the enemy from his point [front] since those returned to New Berne, and that his whole force is necessary to cover his line, this being in answer to a proposition to him to follow the movement of the enemy, said to be to the west, with all his disposable force, pointing him at the same time to the vital importance of holding the Mississippi, and communicating the fear that Vicksburg would fall unless Johnston was strongly and promptly re-enforced. D. H. Hill has a small force, part of which has been brought here. Clingman's brigade is near Wilmington; Colquitt's, Kinston; Martin's, nominally on railroad (Weldon, &c.). Cooke's, Ransom's, and Jenkin`s have been brought here, the last two temporarily from the defense of Petersburg and country thereabouts. Wise's brigade is, as you left it, engaged in the defense of Richmond, and serving in the country to the east of the city. The enemy have been reported in large force at White House, with indications of an advance on Richmond. We are organizing companies for home defense, and the spirit of resistance is increasing. Corse's brigade, in accordance with your orders, left Hanover Junction. All the artillery, I am informed, was taken away, and the single regiment of infantry which constituted the guard for the bridges proved unequal to the duty, as you have no doubt learned. Re-enforcements were ordered to go up, but some delay occurred, and they arrived too late to save the bridge or the brave guard which had unsuccessfully defended it. The Yankees, reported to be three regiments of cavalry, returned from the Central road in the direction of Hanover (Old Town), and nothing has been heard of them since. It was stated that General W. H. F. Lee was captured at the house

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*See Addenda, p. 77.

+See Davis to Beauregard, and reply, June 25, 1863, Series I, Vol. XXVIII, Part II, pp. 162, 163.

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