The recorder here read the paper referred to, dated Headquarters Army of the Potomac, Fairfax Court-House, March 13, 1862; which paper is appended to the proceedings of this day and marked D.

The witness continued:

The plan alluded to in that paper drew from Mr. Stanton, the Secretary of War, communicating the orders of the President, the following paper, dated March 13.

The paper was read by the recorder; is from the Secretary of War to Major-General McClellan, dated War Department, March 13, 1862, and is appended to the proceedings of this day, marked E.

The witness continued:

This repetition of those conditions shows the importance attached to them by the President. After General McClelland left the front of Washington it was observed in the War Department that his orders for the movement of the troops did not appear to contemplate having such a force for the protection of Washington as the orders of the President required, and a good deal of concern was expressed and felt by the Secretary of War on this subject. On the 2nd of April, 1862, General Wadsworth made a report to the Secretary of War, setting forth the amount of the force left under his command in Washington, together with the condition and the character of the troops. That report is the following, which I lay on the table of the court.

The recorder read the report, which is dated Headquarters Military District of Washington, Washington, D. C., April 2, 1862, and addressed to the Honorable Secretary of War, and is appended to the proceedings of this day and marked F.

The witness continued:

On the 19th of April an order was issued by authority of the Secretary of War, the object of which was to ascertain the condition and strength of the force in the city of Washington by actual inspection. I lay before the court a copy of the order, and the report of Major Jones, the inspecting officer.

The recorder read the papers referred to; one from Major-General Hitchcock, by order of the Secretary of War, dated War Department, Washington, D. C., April 19, 1862; the other dated War Department, Washington City, April 19, 1862; and which papers are appended to this day's proceedings, marked respectively G and H.

The witness continued:

It is proper that I should state in this connection that the troops thus paraded did not embrace those of the fortifications on the south side of the Potomac, but did embrace some of the recently arrived recruits from the North, which may account for unprepared condition in some degree. About that time I held repeated conversations with General Doubleday, who had the immediate command of the forts south of the Potomac, for the purpose of ascertaining the condition of the troops in the forts. He told me on three several occasions, with intervals of a few days, that he had been unable to procure ammunition on his requisition to supply the fortifications. After talking with him the third time I reported the matter to the Secretary of War, who immediately sent for General Doubleday, and the necessary orders were given by which that deficiency was supplied. I now lay before the court a communication from General McClellan, dated April, 1, 1862.

The communication referred to was read by the recorder; is from Major-General McClellan to Brigadier General L. Thomas, dated Headquarters Army of the Potomac, steamer Commodore, April 1, 1862, and is appended to this day's proceedings, marked I.

The witness continued:

On the 2nd April certain papers were referred to General Thomas and General Hitchcock (myself) by the Secretary of War under an order of which this is a copy.

The recorder read the order, which is dated War Department, Washington City, April 2, 1862, from the Secretary of War, and is appended to the proceedings of this day, marked K.

The witness continued: