GREENSBOROUGH, N. C., July 21, 1864.

[Hon. J. A. SEDDON,]

Secretary of War:]

DEAR SIR: My only apology for addressing you at this time is a request that you made that I should communicate anything to you that I might deem important from this section. I fear that there is a plot on hand by some parties near Lexington, N. C., to compel General Lee to evacuate Richmond for want of supplies. To this end a very important bridge was burnt over Rich Creek, which took a week to repair. Scarcely was this done before one but a little distance from it and 220 feet long was burnt, and possibly this over the Yadkin will be consumed. For over ten days Richmond has been drawing its supplies from the stores accumulated at this point, and these stores are nearly exhausted. Would it not be well to send a skillful detective from Richmond to stay about in this neighborhood to ascertain the quilty parties. There are a great many unsound people about here. It would be well to have a guard stationed at all the bridges besides a simple watchman. There is danger also from Colonel Kirk and his deserters and East Tennessee marauders and robbers to Salisbury and Charlotte. Kirk came over with only 140 men with the intention of seizing a train at Morganton and going to the latter place, rescuing the prisoners there, and burning the town and breaking up the railroad communications. Five hundred militia and 80 regulars were kept at bay by him and he escaped with his entire force and 150 prisoners.

Very respectfully,

WM. SPOTSWOOD FONTAINE.

SPECIAL ORDERS, ADJT. AND INSP. GENERAL'S OFFICE,

No. 172. Richmond, July 22, 1864.

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XL. Colonel T. M. R. Talcott, commanding First Regiment Engineer Troops, will immediately proceed with his command from his present position on the Richmond and Danville Railroad to headquarters Army of Northern Virginia, via Richmond, and report to General R. E. Lee, commanding, &c.

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By command of the Secretary of War:

SAML. W. MELTON,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ENGINEER TROOPS, Blandford, July 22, 1864.

Colonel W. H. STEVENS,

Chief Engineer, Army of Northern Virginia:

COLONEL: At Colquitt's mine the gallery was extended by the night detachment 2 feet 6 inches, making the distance of the principal branch gallery 6 feet. The day detachment extended this gallery 4 feet 4 inches, a total distance of 6 feet 10 inches, and a total length of the gallery of 10 feet 4 inches. At Pegram's salient, mine No. 1, the night detachment extended the gallery to a distance of 60 feet 6 inches, framing 55 feet, drove it 2 feet 8 inches, and put in place two sets of frames