EXECUTIVE MANSION,

Washington, D. C., June 26, 1862.

Ordered, 1st. The forces under Major-Generals Fremont, Banks, and McDowell, including the troops now under Brigadier-General Sturgis at Washington, shall be consolidated and form one army, to be called the Army of Virginia.

2nd. The command of the Army of Virginia is specially assigned to Major General John Pope, as commanding general. The troops of the Mountain Department, heretofore under command of General Fremont, shall constitute the First Army Corps, under the command of General Fremont; the troops of the Shenandoah Department, now under General Banks, shall constitute the Second Army Corps, and be commanded by him; the troops under the command of General McDowell, except those within the fortifications and city of Washington, shall form the Third Army Corps, and be under his command.

3rd. The Army of Virginia shall operate in such manner as, while protecting Western Virginia and the national capital from danger or insult, it shall in the speediest manner attack and overcome the rebel forces under Jackson and Ewell, threaten the enemy in the direction of Charlottesville, and render the most effective aid to relieve General McClellan and capture Richmond.

4th. When the Army of the Potomac and the Army of Virginia shall be in position to communicate and directly co-operate at or before Richmond the chief command, while so operating together, shall be governed, as in like cases, by the Rules and Articles of War.

A. LINCOLN.

(Telegraphed to Banks, Fremont, and McDowell.)

MIDDLETOWN, VA.,

June 26, 1862-9.50 p. m.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

The President's dispatch * received at 8.45 p. m. Nothing has occurred to-day to excite alarm. Part of my command is ready to move at an hour's notice; part will require time. About a week would put all in condition for marching. Preparations will be made with all dispatch. All my dispatches state the hour; if omitted, it is the fault of operators.

N. P. BANKS,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS THIRD BRIGADE,
Meadow Bluff, [June] 26, [1862.]

General JACOB D. COX, Commanding:

Nothing special since my return. I have been satisfied all along that the large number of the enemy reported at different points in front of division is all humbug, and this trip to Salt Sulphur convinces me that my judgment was correct, and that there has only been a part of the Thirty-sixth Virginia Regiment and a small detachment of artillery,

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*Probably the executive order of same date, above.

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