Fitz John Porter and King's division, of McDowell's corps, are moving on Gainesville from Manassas Junction, and will come in on your left. They have about 20,000 men. The command must return to this place to-night or by morning on account of subsistence and forage.

JNO. POPE,

Major-General, Commanding.

THIRTY-FOURTH DAY.

COURT-ROOM, COR. FOURTEENTH AND PA. AVENUE,

Washington, D. C., December 31, 1862.

* * * * * *

A communication from Major-General Sigel, dated Washington, D. C., December 31, 1862, was ready by the recorder, and is appended to the proceedings of this day and marked A.

The recorder communicated to the court that he had received a communication from Major-General McClellan, dated New York City, December 21, 1862, with inclosures referred to in his testimony, which inclosures were read by the recorder, and are appended to the record of the proceedings of this day, marked B, C, and D, and subject to further verification.

The recorder here stated to the court that he had as yet been unable to procure copies of the one hundred letters read by him in evidence on the twenty-second day and of many letters read since; and that, in order to avoid a greater confusion of the record, he would ask that the reading of further correspondence be delayed until copies of said letters be furnished.

The court directed the recorder to employ additional assistance in order to complete the correspondence belonging to the back record.

Major JOSEPH C. WILLARD, additional aide-de-camp, U. S. Volunteers, a witness, was duly sworn.

Question by General MCDOWELL. Were you with General McDowell on the evening of the 27th of August last at Buckland Mills, on the occasion of his going to see General Sigel?

Answer. I was.

Question by General MCDOWELL. What position did you have on General McDowell's staff on that occasion?

Answer. I was aide-de-camp, with rank of major.

Question by General MCDOWELL. Please state, as nearly as you can recollect, what passed, or the substance of what passed, between General McDowell and General Sigel on that occasion, and particularly as to the dispositions of the forces for the next day.

Answer. I went with General McDowell to the house that was headquarters of General Sigel, and I heard General McDowell request General Sigel to go with his troops to Manassas, I think, and that he (General McDowell) would give him (General Sigel) one of his divisions. I copied an order which mentioned plainly the place to which General Sigel was to go when General McDowell proposed to give him the division which was to accompany him.

Question by General MCDOWELL. What was said about the defense of Thoroughfare Gap?

Answer. I think, as near as I can remember, that General McDowell requested General Sigel to go with his corps to Thoroughfare Gap.

11 R R-VOL XII