I will thank you to order Captain Minor, brigade ordnance officer, to report without delay to me, as his services are very much needed. I do not know here he is at present. I do not know what has become of the saddles sent to Seventeenth Regiment. I suppose they were removed from Dublin with other stores. This command is very much in need of ammunition, which fact I will thank you to communicate to Captain Minor, if he is with you. We especially need caliber .54 cartridges, and artillery ammunition. One hundred new bridles and halters sent here by Captain Minor for the Seventeenth Regiment have been taken and appropriated by the detachment of the Fourteenth, under Major Eakle, during my absence from this place. Will your order Captain Minor to secure a new supply for me and send them on at once, and a supply of saddles, about 150, McClellan tree, if they can be obtained. I am busily engaged in removing the stores to this side.

Colonel H. S. Bowen, Twenty-second Virginia Regiment arrived here to-day with his regiment and a part of the Sixteenth Regiment, under orders from General W. E. Jones to picket and guard the front line and the line of this department to Pound Gap. The Twenty-second Regiment was attached to this brigade by order of General Breckinridge, and was ordered to report to Brigadier-General Jenkins. I desire to know whether General Jones or yourself is in command of this department. If he is not, I respectfully ask that you take the necessary steps to have the Twenty-second Regiment returned to this command, and that you also have that part of the Sixteenth Regiment at present in Tazewell County, under Major Nounnan, ordered to the brigade. General Jones ordered Colonel Bowen to report to me to me at this place, accompanied with the additional orders above. I took the responsibility of retaining the detachment of the Sixteenth sent in with Colonel Bowen, and retaining the detachment of the Sixteenth sent in with Colonel Bowen, and ordered it to Monroe to co-operate with Major Eakle. The boats are now at Brown's Ferry. I have ordered Captain De L'Isle to send them to the bridge without delay.

I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WM. H. FRENCH,

Colonel, Commanding, &c.

Colonel JOHN McCAUSLAND,

Commanding, &c.

HEADQUARTERS,
Narrows, May 17, 1864.

MAJOR: In obedience to orders received from General A. G. Jenkins on the 5th instant I removed my command from the Red Sulphur Springs, in Monroe County, Va., on the day following to the Narrows of New River, where I arrived about 4 p. m. the same day.

On the 7th instant I assumed command of all the troops at this place.

On the 9th instant I received an order from General Jenkins, commanding Department of Western Virginia, to remove all the Government stores to the north side of the river. Before, however, I had time to carry out that order I received another from Colonel John McCausland (who had succeeded to the command in consequence of the fall of General Jenkins) to move with all dispatch by way of Blacksburg to join him, wherever he might be, with all the forces