artillery (perhaps four pieces) and a battalion of infantry will be sufficient. Please report if there are any positions which could be occupied by the enemy from which our battery there can be enfiladed; the object of the outpost being to keep the enemy at such a distance from Centreville as to keep that place beyond the range of his rifle guns.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

IRVIN McDOWELL,

Major-General, Commanding Third Corps.

HDQRS. THIRD ARMY CORPS, ARMY OF VIRGINIA,
August 31, 1862.

Brigadier General M. R. PATRICK,

Commanding Brigade (through division commander):

You will proceed with your brigade of infantry, a battery of artillery, and Duffie's cavalry, which will be ordered to join you, to open the road between this point and Fairfax Court-House, where the enemy has made his appearance.

By command of Major-General McDowell:

ED. SCHRIVER,

Colonel and Chief of Staff.

CIRCULAR.] HEADQUARTERS FIRST DIVISION, THIRD CORPS,

August 31, 1862.

Commandants of brigades will detail a staff officer to at once proceed to General Pope's headquarters in Centreville, and apply to Colonel Smith for a sufficient quantity of ammunition to allow 60 rounds per man. Let there be no delay; the boxes must be carried by hand; there are no wagons to be had.

By command of Major-General Kearny:

G. W. MINDIL,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

CIRCULAR.] HEADQUARTERS FIRST DIVISION, THIRD CORPS,

Centreville, Va., August 31, 1862.

Commandants of brigades and battalions will send in at once to these headquarters a brief report of the good conduct of their commands and an estimate of the loss of killed, wounded, and missing. Generals Birney and Robinson will please mention in their reports the desertion of the hill, the key-point, by Stevens' brigade, and our reoccupation of the old position (advanced) with skirmishers quite late in the night.

By command of Major-General Kearny:

G. W. MINDIL,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

McCLELLAN'S HEADQUARTERS,

August 31, 1862-3.30 a.m.

Major-General HALLECK, General-in-Chief:

My aide just in. He reports our army as badly beaten: Our losses very heavy. Troops arriving at Centreville. Have probably lost several