For these vouchers will be given, payable as prescribed in General Orders, Numbers 5.

By command of Major-General Pope:

GEO. D. RUGGLES,

Colonel and Chief of Staff.

(The above instructions furnished General McDowell on July 25.)

HEADQUARTERS THIRD ARMY CORPS, Warrenton, Va., July 23, 1862-1.45 p. m.

Brigadier General RUFUS KING:

Use every effort and employ all the means in your power to obtain constant and reliable information of the enemy at Louisa Court-House and Gordonsville. Employ spies and send out scouts. Hire as many negroes as you can for this purpose, but do not let any one know that other than himself are sent, so that we may compare the different accounts.

Let this be going on every day, if possible. Contrive by the free use of money to have some one get into Louisa Court-House and Gordonsville, and if this cannot be done by the means at hand, try and have them engage negroes that live at any of these places to go in and bring back word. Keep the Gordonsville road under especial observation as far down as you possibly can.

I have just seen your telegrams of this morning, reporting the return of the missing patrols, save six. On what road were they posted? This is the first I have heard of the fact. Congratulate the Harris Light Cavalry for me on their successful expedition to Beaver Dam. Keep your division in readiness to march and report to me frequently and fully.

IRVIN McDOWELL,
Major-General.

FALMOUTH, July 23, 1862.

Major-General McDOWELL:

Your dispatch of this date came to hand. I will apply all means to obtain the information you desire. I sent dispatch to you yesterday about that missing cavalry patrol. They were on the Telegraph road, about 22 miles from here. I sent out a large force last night to look up the Confederate cavalry reported to be at Orange Court-House. I have so many and such contradictory reports about Jackson and his forces that I do not send a great force until better authenticated. The Harris Cavalry did well, and will, if the opportunity offers, do better. My division is all ready for work at the shortest notice.

RUFUS KING,

Brigadier-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF VIRGINIA, Washington, July 23, 1862.

Major-General BANKS,

near Sperryville:

I beg to call your attention again to the condition of things in front