APRIL 6, 1864.

General STUART:

MY DEAR GENERAL: I am much obliged to you for the fine watermelon. I tried to tempt General Long to stay to eat it, but he would not. Can't you come over and dine with us?

I will embody your remarks, or rather admonition, to our prisoners in a general order. You know I clip my words very much, and it need not interfere with your promulgating to the cavalry your views. I received from Richmond last evening information concerning enemy's movements, &c., exaggerated, I think, but tot he general effect of what we know. Grant, it is said, has been to Fort Monroe. You can see them when you come over.

Truly,

R. E. LEE,

SPECIAL ORDERS,
ADJT. AND INSP. GENERAL'S OFFICE. Numbers 81.
Richmond, April 6, 1864.

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XXI. Major General M. L. Smith will proceed without delay to the headquarters Army of Northern Virginia and report to General R. E. Lee, commanding, for assignment to engineer service.

* * * *

By command of the Secretary of War:

JNO. WITHERS,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS, April 7, 1864

General BRAXTON BRAGG,

Commanding Armies of Confederate States:

GENERAL: I have had the honor to receive your letter of the 4th instant, inclosing a note from the honorable Secretary of War, with the accompanying memoranda, &c. I think it apparent that the enemy is making large preparations for the approaching campaign in Virginia. The extent or whence the troops are derived are not so evident. The report of "Potomac," of 1st April, to Major Norris of 60,000 troops marching from Washington to Point Lookout I suppose intended for wit. There are rumors from citizens of troops from the West joining General Meade,but none of my scouts have seen them. I therefore think it doubtful.

A self-elected scout in the valley reports Thomas' corps having passed over the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad to Baltimore, and citizens in Culpeper and Fauquier report the arrival of the Eleventh and Twelfth Corps on the Rappahannock. These reports are not confirmed. General Longstreet has reported the departure from his front of the Ninth and Twenty-third Corps (Burnside's and Hartsuff's). Reports from two scouts north of the Rappahannock, received last night, state that great activity prevails on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad. Troops are constantly passing up from Alexandria. They think they are recruits and furloughed men. Their clothes are too new and overcoats of too deep a blue for old troops. They estimate that from 20,000 to 25,000 men have been conveyed on the railroad to the Rappahannock in the last ten days.

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