ALEXANDRIA RAILROAD DEPOT,

August 24, 1862 - 4 p. m.

Honorable P. H. WATSON,

Assistant Secretary of War:

Please request the proper officer to keep me advised of troops that are coming, who is in command, what are their numbers, what their destination, and other particulars required to arrange transportation. Twenty thousand men have just been thrown upon us, when we require another day of regular movement to remove those previously on our hands.

H. HAUPT.

WASHINGTON, D. C.,

August 24, 1862 - 4.50 p. m.

Captain C. B. FERGUSON,

Assistant Quartermaster, Alexandria, Va.:

The Long Bridge is broken and will not be repaired before some time to-night or to-morrow morning. The Eleventh Ohio Regiment will march over by land. Have you cars sufficient in Alexandria to send them forward at once? If you have not cars enough I will send them from this side as soon as the bridge is repaired. Please answer at once.

D. H. RUCKER,

Quartermaster and Colonel.

ALEXANDRIA, August 24, 1862 - 11.10 p. m.

P. H. WATSON, Esq.,

Assistant Secretary of War:

If you can find General Hooker, who is said to be in Washington, please say to him we expect to carry his whole force to-morrow, but to do it the trains must be loaded in fifteen minutes and everything should be ready beside the track. To-night we carry supplies, ammunition, and forage - four or five trains. I have informed General Sturgis that he has forfeited all claims for transportation until others are supplied and can have no more cars. He says all right. I will try to see General Halleck to-morrow.

H. HAUPT.

BALTIMORE, August 24, 1862.

Honorable P. H. WATSON,

Assistant Secretary of War:

We have advices that yesterday at 4 p. m. a squadron of the enemy's cavalry stopped the passenger train between Harper's Ferry and Winchester; took the agent of Adams Express and all on board prisoners except two, who escaped, and burned the train and cut the telegraph wire. The command of Lieutenant Milling, at Smithfield, a point west of Winchester road and en route to Martinsburg, was captured during the evening. Reports are current and believed that a column of the enemy is marching up the valley, leaving Winchester to the left. Indications are that heavy movements are in progress in that vicinity. Can you advise us as to probable position and power of the enemy