PHILADELPHIA, PA., July 1, 1863.

Honorable E. M. STANTON:

MY DEAR SIR: Presuming that you will recognize that I have peculiar opportunities for gathering information of the state of feeling here, I venture to telegraph you in very free terms. We deplore the non-existence of a reserved force, and are profoundly convinced that you can improvise one of 100, 000 men, and have them on the Susquehanna within three days, by calling on New York, Massachusetts, and other States east of Pennsylvania for militia. When Meade beats the rebels or when they fall back, let us, for God's sake, pursue, overwhelm, and crush them. Citizens request, yea, implore, you to call out 100, 000 men at once. The dispatch just sent to you signed by B. Gerhard and others would have been signed by thousands upon thousands had opportunity offered.

THOS. WEBSTER.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF WEST VIRGINIA, Clarksburg, W. Va., July 1, 1863.

Colonel E. D. TOWNSEND,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Washington City:

COLONEL: I have the honor to state that the forces of this command are now organized as follows: On the Kanawha, Brigadier-General Scammon, commanding a division; in the Cheat Mountain region, Brigadier-General Averell, commanding a separate brigade, composed principally of cavalry; while on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, from Hancock to Parkersburg, there are three

small brigades as at present organized, being a portion of my old command, First Division, Eighth Army Corps, without at this time any general officer at the head. On the line of railroad, there are, in my opinion, several important points, principal among which is New Creek, W. Va. At this point, Colonel J. A. Mulligan, Twenty- third Illinois Volunteers Infantry, is the senior officer, and in him I have all confidence. His long experience in, and thorough knowledge of, that section of country, and his recognized ability as an officer, point to him as the one who is, under existing circumstances, best fitted to command. He is also the senior officer of that portion of my old division now stationed in this department, and I would be pleased if he could be assigned to the command of a division composed of the forces on the line of the road. If, however, this is not deemed expedient or advisable, I respectfully ask that a general officer be directed to report to me for assignment to duty as commander of the division indicated. B.

F. KELLEY,

Brigadier-General.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, July 1, 1863-11. 25 a. m.

Brigadier General H. M. NAGLEE, Fort Monroe, Va.:

The orders already issued in regard to the troops from North Carolina are deemed sufficient until they are executed.

H. W. HALLECK.

31 R R-VOL XXVII, PT III