boats through the locks, which had been reported to me as going on, as above stated. On returning to this depot, about 5 p. m. yesterday, I found the trains from Liverpool Point coming in, having made, as reported, fully 60 miles since 10 a. m. of the previous day, the 16th, and the ambulance train of sick and wounded has just arrived. The delay at Liverpool Point was occasioned by the large quantity of material that had been actually abandoned. I am now about to bring the bridges from Alexandria to this depot for rearrangement and repairs. We have nearly 200 pontoons to examine and refit into bridges, and about 1, 200 animals of the trains to care for, while the total effective force of my brigade, excepting the company and fractional company at work in this depot, and that company at Harper's Ferry, is only about 1, 000 to 1, 100 men, and of these 600 are now up the Potomac, under Major Spaulding and Captain Turnbull; and the balance of the command, some 200 of the Fiftieth, now at Alexandria, under Colonel Pettes, and the three-year's men of the Fifteenth now being reorganized by Major Cassin, and part in here with the trains, should, as I would respectfully recommend, all be concentrated at this depot, where the service of all will be required for the care and guarding of this large number of animals and the speedy restoration of the bridges to a serviceable condition, which will be immediately reported to headquarters.

Very respectfully, &c.,

H. W. BENHAM,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

CIRCULAR.] HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,

June 18, 1863.

The major-general commanding desires a field return of your approximate strength to be sent in to-night. He desires to know the forage. He desires that the supplies be kept up fully; not more than two days' salt beef be carried in the wagons; that rations of hard bread, sugar, coffee, and salt only be carried until further orders, depending upon fresh beef for supplies, excepting the two days' salt beef mentioned. He directs that you cause all your trains to be thoroughly examined and inspected, and exclude all excess of personal baggage. All useless and cumbersome articles of wooden benches, bedsteads, and cooking stoves must be destroyed or thrown out of the train. The utmost vigilance is required of you to correct abuses in this respect, and you are held responsible therefor. No hospital tents will be carried, excepting those of the medical department. Cumbersome mess arrangements must not be permitted. Ambulances permitted at corps, division, and brigade headquarters, by order of March 10, must be reduced as follows: One instead of two spring wagons at corps headquarters; one instead of two ambulances at brigade headquarters. The surplus to be turned in. The use of ambulances for carrying baggage for citizens, women &c., on marches must be stopped. If division, brigade, or other commanders violate this rule, corps commanders will cause the ambulances to be taken from them and turned in, and the officers court-