S. Volunteers, Captain Donn Piatt, assistant adjutant-general of volunteers; Captain F. Ball, jr., aide-de-camp; Colonel J. Holt, Judge-Advocate-General, U. S. Army, judge-advocate.

By order of the Secretary of War:

E. D. TOWNSEND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

WASHINGTON, D. C., October 13, 1862.

The Commission met pursuant to adjournment.

Present, Major General D. Hunter, U. S. Volunteers; Major General G. Cadwalader, U. S. Volunteers; Brigadier General C. C. Augur, U. S. Volunteers; Captain Donn Piatt, assistant adjutant-general of volunteers; Captain F. Ball, jr., aide-de-camp; Colonel J. Holt, Judge-Advocate General.

The minutes of the last meeting were then read and approved.

The judge-advocate informed the Commission that the Secretary of War directs that the Commission also investigate and report upon the evacuation of Winchester by General White.

* * * * * * *

WASHINGTON, D. C., October 17, 1862.

The Commission met pursuant to adjournment of yesterday.*

* * * * * * *

The Commission then proceeded, pursuant to the order of the Secretary of War, under date of October 10, 1862, to the investigation of the circumstances attending the evacuation of Winchester by General White.+

The judge-advocate submitted in evidence copies of the following papers from the War Department, which were read:

WASHINGTON, August 26, 1862.

The COMMANDING OFFICERS AT MARTINSBURG AND HARPER'S FERRY:

If Winchester should be attacked, General White will fire four guns at intervals of two minutes, when the commanders of Martinsburg and Harper's Ferry will throw out vedettes and keep watchmen in the mountains for a few days.

H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief.

HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,
Washington, D. C., September 2, 1862.

Brigadier General JULIUS WHITE, Winchester, Va.:

You will immediately abandon the fortifications at Winchester, sending the heavy guns under escort by rail to Harper's Ferry. If this cannot be done, they should be rendered unserviceable. Having sent off your artillery, your will withdraw your whole force to Harper's Ferry.

H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief.

HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,
Washington, D. C., September 2, 1862.

Colonel DIXON S. MILES, Harper's Ferry:

General White has been directed to withdraw his force from Winchester to Harper's Ferry. Telegraph me any movements of the enemy in your vicinity or across the river into Maryland.

H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief.

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*All the members and the judge-advocate being present when not otherwise indicated.

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+That order was an indorsement, on copies of the dispatches following, as follows: "Headquarters of the Army, Washington, October 10, 1862. Respectfully referred to the Judge-Advocate-General. The Secretary of War directs that the Communion also investigate and report on the evacuation of Winchester by General White. - H. W. Halleck, General-in-Chief."