HEADQUARTERS, April 21, 1864. (Received 22nd.)

Major C. S. STRINGFELLOW,
Assistant Adjutant-General:

Your dispatch received. I am in a very bad way to move anywhere, as you will see by my letter of to-day. Major McKendree started to Dublin this evening to see what is the matter, but I will order him back to-night. I have but two days' rations on hand and one train on the road. I have this moment received a dispatch from the front, saying that the enemy were moving over Sewell Mountain; only 300 seen by the scouts, but a larger force supposed to be coming.

JNO. ECHOLS,

Brigadier-General.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST BRIGADE, April 21, 1864.

Major C. S. STRINGFELLOW,
Assistant Adjutant-General:

MAJOR: I herewith inclose to you, for the information of the major-general commanding, a copy of a dispatch received this morning from Colonel William L. Jackson.

I am, major, very respectfully, &c.,

JNO. ECHOLS,

Brigadier-General.

[Inclosure.]

HEADQUARTERS,
Warm Springs, Va., April 20, 1864.

Brigadier General JOHN ECHOLS,

Commanding:

GENERAL: Captain Marshall reports that the enemy at Beverly are preparing for a move. He is unable to report the force there. I learn from other sources that nearly all the force in Northwestern Virginia is at Beverly, on the railroad toward the eastern part, and in the Kanawha Valley. The garrison at Bulltown numbers not more than 100, and there is no force between that and Parkersburg. At the latter place there is not more than one company. The force there recently (one regiment) has gone to Beverly. About ten days since a regiment arrived at Parkersburg from the West, but returned the next day for some cause. I am of the opinion, from all I can learn, that the enemy either intend a raid or are preparing to resist one. If they come I do not think they will move for eight or ten days, on account of the unsettled state of the weather. Forage is scarce in Northwest Virginia, owing to the failure of the corps last year. On account of the war the people raised but little in Barbour, Tucker, Upshur, Lewis, Gilmer, Calhoun, Braxton, Webster, Randolph, &c. There is no forage from here to Parkersburg. If the raid is on this line before grass, horses must suffer. Ten days of good weather will make good grass. Large amount of flour is passing over the railroads from the West for the Army of the Potomac. Recruits from Ritchie County report that there has been troops sent from Bulltown, Buchannan, and Weston to the Kanawha Valley, but they did not give the numbers. There were but few companies