a citizen that "Jackson had come with 15,000 men; that his forces were at Mount Pisgah Church, and that he was going back where he was before." He heard this same statement repeated by a citizen who had seen these soldiers.

These statements as to the enemy's movements agree with the report of a gentleman who left Richmond on the 17th and came to Culpeper via Lynchburg. He was unable to procure transportation on the Central Railroad, being informed by the railroad agent the road was taken up exclusively for the transportation of troops. He reported this, with other facts, to General Banks.

Scouts which were made while I was at Culpeper show that the enemy's pickets are at or near the fords of the Rapidan from Barnett's Ford to Raccoon Ford.

It was reported by a negro that on the 24th instant six of the enemy's cavalry crossed the Rapidan at Raccoon Ford in search of a ford lower down, stating that "they were too much crowded where they were." A scout over the Rapidan at Barnett's Ford on the 26th instant drove in the enemy's pickets about a mile from the ford.

A negro reported to him that Jackson was at Orange with two brigades, and that our forces were 4 miles from Orange (supposed to be Gibbon's force.) Colonel Tompkins, of General Hatch's command, reports that he captured a man at Conrad's Store, who turned out to be a scout of General Sigel, on the 25th. He had been in the enemy's camp at Stanardsville, and reported that the enemy were in force at that place and at Charlottesville, Gordonsville, Orange Court-House, and Liberty Mills; that the largest force was at Liberty Mills-Generals Jackson, Ewell, and Longstreet. He stated that they expected us on the 21st from Madison.

From these statements it appears that the position of the enemy is on the south bank of the Rapidan from Stanardsville to Raccoon Ford, with Gordonsville and Orange Court-House as centers. They hold the Rapidan strongly at and above Liberty Mills, but at the points below they merely observed. This would indicate that they propose to dispute the passage of the Rapidan above, but not below. The only good road by which we can approach the Rapidan is the road from Madison to Gordonsville. This road is a good turnpike, and crosses the stream by the only ford on the river. This point id strongly guarded. There is no good road leading from the present position of our forces to Madison. The road leading from Sperryville to Madison is reported as "very bad" by Colonel Clark, of General Banks's staff. From Sperryville to Culpeper is a good turnpike. The road from Flint Hill to Culpeper is also reported bad. The road from Warrenton to Culpeper is unreliable in wet weather. Our supplies are now taken to Culpeper via Amissville and Jefferson. The road from Amissville to Jefferson (6 miles) is a bad road.

These roads are all old roads, which have not been repaired for years, and are full of holes. The country is so thickly wooded that it takes a long time for the roads to dry, as there is no drainage.

I would respectfully recommend that a force be put on these roads to repair them. The expense of repairing them will be nothing compared with the delays which are now taking place in forwarding supplies to our advance and the wear of animals. Should our force advance these troubles will of course increase. With proper repairs the wagon loads could be greatly increased, a saving of animals and time.

The roads leading from Culpeper are of the same character. They