HEADQUARTERS MIDDLE DEPARTMENT,
July 11, 1864. (Received 8. 10 p. m.)

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

Does General Ord report to me, or am I to understand that he relieves me from command of the department and corps? If so, what am I to do?

LEW. WALLACE,

Major-General.

WASHINGTON, D. C., July 11, 1864-9. 30 p. m.

Major-General WALLACE:

General Orders is assigned to the command of the Eighth Army Corps and all the troops in the department. You report to him, but remain in charge of the administration of the department, your relations to him being precisely similar to those of General Thomas and McPherson to Sherman and Banks, Steele and Rosecrans to General Canby, and General Augur to General Halleck. In respect to all military operations and movements, whether defensive or aggressive, he is special assignment of the President the superior in command.

EDWIN. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

OFFICE P. O. BUILDING,

July 11, 1864-1. 30 p. m.

Lieutenant Colonel S. B. LAWRENCE,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

SIR: I have to report that I have placed in Fort Worthington two 20-pounder Parrotts, one 8-inch siege howitzer; at Battery Numbers 12, two 24-pounder siege guns; at Battery Numbers 7, one 8-inch howitzer; at Battery Numbers 4, two 20-pounder Parrotts. There are no garrisons competent to manage these guns at Batteries 4, 7, or 12; the guns at these places are not in position, as there is no one to do it. I recommend increasing garrison of Fort Worthington to 100 men, Battery Numbers 12 at least twenty men, Battery Numbers 7 twenty men, and Numbers 4 twenty-five men. The 100-pounder Parrotts cannot be mounted for two days at least. The gate at Fort Worthington is too small to admit them, platforms must be built, and rollers for guns made.

H. BREWERTON,

Lieutenant-Colonel of Engineers.

Per N. H. HUTTON,

Assistant in Charge.

[Indorsement.]

HDQRS. MIDDLE DEPARTMENT, EIGHTH ARMY CORPS,
Baltimore, July 11, 1864.

Respectfully referred to Brigadier General H. H. Lockwood for his action, and who will make the garrisons as much stronger as possible.

By command of Major-General Wallace:

WM. H. WIEGEL,

Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.