He (General Lee) thinks if the enemy advances this way, it may be better to draw them back to this position when you arrive at Orange Court-House. Please send out some of your officers (Rodes or Early) to examine this line. He will either take it or that near Cedar Mountain.

I am, general, your obedient servant.

A. S. PENDLETON,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF WESTERN VIRGINIA,
Dublin, August 1, 1863.

Brigadier General W. PROSTON,

Commanding, &c., Abingdon, Va.:

GENERAL: Lieutenant Adams Handed to me this morning your letter of yesterday, and I have given him an order for the two Napoleon guns. I procured these guns with much difficulty for a particular purpose, and can only lend them to you. Be sure to return them as soon as practicable after you have made the use of them you propose.

I suspect you have in contemplation an expedition into Kentucky; if so, I wish you would write me immediately, informing me as fully as you think proper of your intentions and plans. If you propose to attack the enemy's troops on the Sandy, I may be able so to engage

the attention of those on the Upper Kanawha as to prevent them from interfering with you, or, if they withdraw any of their troops from my front to oppose you, I may profit by it to strike them in the Kanawha.

I shall be glad to have you answer to-morrow morning, and if you reply immediately, I ought to receive it at that time, I propose to start to Mercer County to-morrow.

Without having any key whatever to your cipher yesterday, I manager to decipher your telegram. Lieutenant Adams can tell you how I did it. All such ciphers are very imperfect. I know of no good one excepting that used by the Government. Have you it? If so, we had better use it.

Very respectfully and truly, &c.,

SAM. JONES,

Major-General.

FRANKLIN,

August 1, 1863 - 10 a. m.

Major-General ELZEY:

All quiet along the Blackwater line. Sent scouts in the direction of Suffolk this morning. Yankees Carried of a great deal of plunder from Murfreesborough. A battalion of infantry should be at Murfreesborough, N. C., 400 or 500 in number, so as to defeat another raid. We should have more cavalry in this section. Spear controls, in two regiments, 1, 500 men, cavalry. I would like to have a 6 or 12 pounder rifled gun, with ammunition Complete. I can furnish horses and men for it.

I am, very respectfully,

JOEL R. GRIFFIN,

Colonel, Commanding.

68 R. R - VOL XXVII, PT III