NEW MARKER, May 9, 1862.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

My command is in condition to move at any moment. General Shields' division has to be supplied from my command, and is not yet ready. It is not safe to leave him until he is prepared to move, but upon order I can march for Strasburg at an Hour's notice. The enemy does not detain troops here.

N. P. BANKS,

Major-General, Commanding.

NEW MARKER, May 9, 1862-4.30 p. m.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

Your dispatch received. General Fremont's opinions as to the position of Jackson are correct. He has not been in front of General McDowell unless within two or three day past. Ewell;s division has been at Elk Run, between blue Ridge and Shenandoah, o the road from Harrisonburg to Stanardsville, until now. Our scouts report the camp-fires as seen yesterday. he has four brigades-12,700 men- and for batteries, of four guns. Jackson was at Port Republic, 6 miles above; Ewell on Shenandoah when my command left Harrisonburg. He is thought to have moved south toward Staunton or possibly toward Richmond. If General Fremont reports him with Edward Johnson against Milroy he is most likely correct. Such movement would accord with all our information up to this day. Johnson has about 3,000, Jackson 8,000 men, making with Ewell over 20,000 men. They are not more than 20 miles distant from each other unless Jackson has moved south recently. They will concentrate against any small force left in the valley. there are no troops at Gordonsville, Madison, of Culpeper unless arrived there recently. Ewell's division was the last that left Manassas, the Rappahannock, Culpeper, and Madison. I have reported these facts from day to day to the Department. Hundreds of fugitives come through these places into our lines because there are no troops there.

N. P. BANKS,

Major-General, Commanding.

(Copy to McDowell from War Department.)

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SHENANDOAH,
New Market, Va., May 9, 1862.

Colonel JOHN W. GEARY:

MY DEAR SIR: Your dispatch announcing that you were ordered to join McDowell was received a day or two since and the letter relating to the bands of rebels infesting the line of railway last evening.

I regret very much indeed that you are to be separated from us more than I ought to express in an official letter. I regret it because I feel that the policy of which this order is a part is to end in allowing the grand army of the rebels to escape unharmed from Virginia and to