HARRISBURG, PA., July 7, 1864-8. 45 p. m. (Received 11. 50 p. m .)

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

I believe that it will be impracticable to raise troops quickly if they are to be mustered in by regiments. I refer to the difficulty which surrounded us here last summer, and suggest that mustering officers be directed to must in by companies.

D. N. COUCH,

Major-General.

WAR DEPARTMENT, July 7, 1864-10 p. m .

Major-General COUCH,

Harrisburg:

In present operations you will not restrict yourself to departmental lines, but do what is proper to be done, with the means at your command, without reference to department boundaries, keeping yourself in communication with General Wallace.

EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

PROVOST-MARSHAL'S OFFICE, 14TH DISTRICT, Harrisburg, Pa., July 7, 1864.

Lieutenant Colonel J. V. BOMFORD,

Sixteenth U. S. Infty., and A. A. Prov. March General, Pa.:

COLONEL: I have the honor to report that three prisoners from the enemy, viz, Lieutenant Shearer, of Bradley Johnson's staff, and two private soldiers of the First Maryland Cavalry [Confederate], have passed through this department, viz, through Cap. J. M. Opdyke, acting provost-marshal at post.

A careful and protracted examination of Lieutenant Shearer elicits the following information: First, that Longstreet's and Ewell's corps, of Lee's army, have left the fortifications in the front of Richmond and are undoubtedly somewhere in the neighborhood of the Potomac River; that the design is not upon Pennsylvania but upon the city of Washington. The advance into Pennsylvania and at the same time supply the exhausted stock of animals.

The forces who are opposing Grant at Richmond are Hill's and Beauregard's, added to which are the re-enforcements of the new troops of the South. Lieutenant Shearer is an officer of more than ordinary intelligence.

This information has been elicited in a manner which leads me to believe it to be of some importance to the War Department, and I, therefore, give it to you for such use as you deem desirable to make of it.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JNO. KAY CLEMENT,

Captain and Provost-Marshal.