HEADQUARTERS VALLEY DISTRICT,
May 27, 1862.

Major-General EWELL:

GENERAL: Major-General Jackson directs me to call your attention to General Orders, Numbers 51, which, after providing for the care of those wounded in action, directed that immediately after every engagement the rolls should be called, and those absent without cause be reported to these headquarters. No such reports have been made from your command. The evil of straggling has become so enormous that an immediate reply is earnestly requested.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. L. DABNEY,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS VALLEY DISTRICT,
May 27, 1862.

Major-General EWELL:

GENERAL: Major-General Jackson requests that you will, as soon as practicable, make a report of the operations and losses of the forces under your command on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday last. He also requests that your will have an exact inquiry made into the pillaging practiced in your command on those days, especially be members of General Taylor's command, and report to these headquarters a list of the persons guilty of it.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. L. DABNEY,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS VALLEY DISTRICT,

Numbers 54. May 27, 1862.

Any person belonging to the army found in possession of captured property unaccounted for to the proper officer will, unless he can give a satisfactory explanation of his delinquency, be put on the roster for such duty as will exclude him from those posts of honor where distinction is to be won, and which requires exhibition of the highest qualities of the patriot soldier.

The shameless pillaging practiced by numbers of cavalry and infantry, who were intrusted with the advance in pursuing the enemy through Newtown on the 24th instant, under the gallant Ashby, so reduced his command as to render it necessary to discontinue the pursuit until re-enforced by other forces. Such troops cannot be depended on to secure brilliant results, and hence they will not be placed in the advance of this army until satisfactory evidence shall be given that their disgraceful conduct will not be repeated.

It is hoped that this army will discountenance acts which tend to tarnish its well-earned reputation.

All captured property belongs to the Government, and for individ- uals to appropriate it is theft.

By order of Major-General Jackson:

R. L. DABNEY,

Assistant Adjutant-General.