FORT MONROE, August 20, 1862 - 12 p. m.

Major General H. W. HALLECK, General-in-Chief:

Just heard from Yorktown that Birney's brigade has embarked on the Merrimac. I start now for Newport News to hurry matters there.

GEO. B. MCCLELLAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

YORKTOWN, August 20, 1862.

(Received August 21.)

General M. C. MEIGS,

Quartermaster-General U. S. Army:

In very many instances vessels arrive here from the North without any supply of water on board. They come even from Philadelphia, Baltimore, and the Potomac.

You know we are terribly tasked here and at the Fortress to find a supply for current use.

Please give orders that vessels sent here by quartermasters shall be properly provided. Heintzelman's corps will be sent off from here before to-morrow evening.

RUFUS INGALLS,

Lieutenant-Colonel, & c.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF VIRGINIA,
Rappahannock, August 21, 1862. (Received 11 a. m.)

Major-General HALLECK:

I am much surprised to receive your dispatch of 10.20 last night. If any such telegraphing of your orders to me has occurred the leak must have been in the telegraph men, as I have permitted no messages, even from army corps commanders, to be sent over the lines without inspection by myself. Please indicate to me what particular orders you refer to have been sent back to the press, that I may fix the responsibility where it belongs. Not more than two of my staff and the army corps commanders concerned have ever had your orders communicated to them. There is and has been much laxity about all official business in this army, and I am endeavoring to correct it as fast as possible. I observe in the newspapers official reports from the senior aide-de-camp of General Banks and at least one of his general officers about the battle of Cedar Mountain, which have never reached me. The several corps composing this army have until recently acted quite independently, and it is difficult to put a stop to practices which have prevailed hitherto. It is possible that the orders to which you refer have been made public by the army corps commanders to whom portions at least have necessarily been communicated.

JNO. POPE,

Major-General.

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington, D. C., August 21, 1862.

Major-General POPE, Rappahannock, Va.:

My telegram to you was (or at least its substance) immediately tele-