he is about. All arrangements that can be have been made for protection of the bridges. Gun-boats completely command them. No danger of their being fired in any event. Gun-boats can move right up to the bridge and extinguish fire with their hose. Infantry useful only to picket. No necessity of my remaining. One company at Magnolia would be well.

Respectfully,

WM. M. ESTE,

Major and Aide-de-Camp.

BALTIMORE, MD., July 28, 1864.

Brigadier General H. H. LOCKWOOD,

Commanding Third Separate Brigade:

GENERAL: I am directed by Major-General Wallace to instruct you to send out a scouting party of thirty mounted men from the Delaware cavalry, under a good energetic officer, to operate in front of the Northern Central Railroad as far up as Westminster. General Couch's scouts will meet them at that point; they should move on the line forward by the road from Middleburg, via Liberty, to Monrovia. You will also instruct your scouts to communicate intelligence to telegraph operator at Westminster for transmission to headquarters, and to Mr. Cameron, president of the Northern Central Railroad, at Harrisburg, Pa.

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

JAMES R. ROSS,

Major and Aide-de-Camp.

WASHINGTON, July 28, 1864-11. 30 a. m.

Major-General COUCH,

Chambersburg, Pa.:

Report what movable forces you have in your department. If you have any available infantry send it to General Averell, at Hagerstown.

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General and Chief of Staff.

CHAMBERSBURG, PA., July 28, 1864-2. 30 p. m.

(Received 5 p. m.)

General H. W. HALLECK, Chief of Staff:

I have sixty infantry, forty cavalry, and two guns in this Valley, the cavalry being the permanent party of Carlisle, not of my command; tow sections and forty infantry at Harrisburg; one cavalry company, Lehigh District; forty independent and unpaid horsemen near Emmitsburg; Veteran Reserves, twelve companies, guarding hospitals, Petersburg, York, Philadelphia; provost guard, Philadelphia; one company Veterans, Pittsburg. The rendezvous at Carlisle has eighty reliable men. Six companies 100-days' men, unorganized into regiments, are between Harrisburg and Pittsburg. Have been ordered here. I will send them to Hagerstown when they arrive. Have already sent there my 100-days' mounted men - two companies.

D. N. COUCH,

Major-General.