report of the scout who captured him, one brigade of cavalry, which joined him since the battle of Cloyd's Farm. This prisoner states that Averell left Charleston seventeen days ago with four brigades of cavalry; that on reaching Logan Court-House he detached one brigade to join Crook. With the three remaining brigades he moved on, and met General Jones six miles from Wytheville on Tuesday, and after a severe fight fell back. Telegraph operator went to Christiansburg yesterday, and reports that Averell was wounded in the head, and was in Christiansburg the night of the 12th. This is singular, if report of Wytheville fight be true. Extent of his loss I cannot learn. I suggested to General breckinridge three days ago that Crook's force would move to co-operate with Sigel against him, unless W. W. Jones can detain him. I still hold this opinion.

CHAS. S. STRINGFELLOW,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

QUARTERMASTER'S OFFICE,

Staunton, Va., May 15, 1864.

Major General J. C. BRECKINRIDGE:

GENERAL: I have just received the following dispatch:

GORDONSVILLE, May 15, 1864.

Major H. M. BELL:

I have dispatch from General Lee, dated 12 o'clock last night, in which he says:"Borrow all the corn you can from citizens and send me at once If persons holding corn will not let you have it, impress it. I presume an impressment will not be necessary when the magnitude of the stake is thought of. Answer me at once what you can do." He wants an answer from Lynchburg, Staunton, and Charlottesville. He also want every artillery horse that can be had. Send by passenger train anything you can get.

W. B. RICHARDS,

Major and Quartermaster.

I am arranging to send to every part of the country to get corn from the citizens, but as the emergency is great and pressing, I will ship from the corn here belonging to your command all that I can get off by mail train in the morning-say from 600 to 1,000 bushels. As you are in a good grass country, I hope you will be able to subsist without much grain, but I will, if you cannot spare this corn, replace what I take from the corn I hope to borrow from citizens. If you can spare it, i wills end all I can get from citizens besides. My forage master reports that there is in my forage house about 1,000 bags of corn belonging to Majors Green and McKendree. Will you please consult with these officers and advise me how much of this corn I can send to General Lee.

H. M. BELL,

Major and Quartermaster.

SPOTSYLVANIA COURT-HOUSE, May 16, 1864.

(Via Guiney's Station.)

General J. C. BRECKINRIDGE:

I offer you the thanks of this army for your victory over General Sigel. Press them down the Valley, and, if practicable, follow him to Maryland.

R. E. LEE,

General.

47 R-VOL XXXVIII, PT I