BUNKER HILL, August 1, 1864.

Major-General BRECKINRIDGE:

GENERAL: The cavalry on our front is very little to be relied on. It is necessary, therefore, to be constantly on the alert and ready for any emergency. Officers and men must all be required to remain in camp, and all officers must camp near their troops. It is no time to be regarding our individual comfort or convenience. The Fifth and Nineteenth Corps are certainly at and this side of Harper's Ferry, and one report says the Second Corps, and that the Ninth was at Monocacy, moving this way, day before yesterday. Of course I cannot believe this report, though it is not impossible that some of the heavy artillery temporarily attached to those corps may have been sent up. You must picket in the direction of Leetown, Martinsburg, and Smithfield. There is a road leading to Smithfield from the turnpike, about one mile this side of Darkesville. You must also picket in the direction of Martinsburg on the back road and Ganotown. We must turn to fight or move in a day or two, and let everything be prepared for it.

Respectfully,

J. A. EARLY,

Lieutenant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA,
August 2, 1864.

Honorable SECRETARY OF WAR, Richmond:

SIR: i have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of yesterday in relation to General Morgan. If General Morgan could accomplish the object he proposes without endangering the lead and salt works in Southwest Virginia it would certainly be a valuable service, but I think it very important that the whole country in which his command now is should not be stripped of troops so as to invite an expedition of the enemy. I know of no troops that could replace General Morgan at this time, and his withdrawal would leave open the whole country from the lower Valley of Virginia to Northern Georgia. I think, however, that he might with advantage to Northwestern Virginia collect all the cattle and horses he can, and even threaten or enter Pennsylvania from that quarter, and if there is no force now threatening him should prefer such an expedition to the one he proposes. He would not then be out of reach of the interests with the defense of which he is specially charged, and at the same time would be likely to draw after him any force that may be in Western Virginia and make a diversion in favor of General Early. If there were any troops to take his place I should not object to his undertaking the movement against Sherman's communications, but the situation of affairs in the Valley makes it impossible at present to return any of those under General Breckinridge, and I know of no others.

With great respect, your obedient servant,

R. E. LEE,

General.

[First indorsement.]

AUGUST 4, 1864.

Respectfully submitted to the President. It will be seen that, as expected, General Lee does not approve of General Morgan's pro-