FORT MONROE, May 17, 1863.

Major-General PECK,

Commanding, Suffolk:

My man is here from New Have [Richmond]. He says none of Longstreet's force have gone beyond New Haven, and that they are on the New London* and head of Washington.* Heard that there was some trap to draw out the troops at Boston [Suffolk]. It would be well to ascertain truth of yesterday's report. Foster must be very vigilant.

JOHN A. DIX,

Major-General.

FORT MONROE, May 17, 1863.

Major-General PECK:

No pains should be spared to sustain Foster. He should be re-enforced, if necessary. Was the enemy seen near Alexandria?

JOHN A. DIX,

Major-General.

HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA, SEVENTH ARMY CORPS,
Fort Monroe, May 17, 1863.

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief:

GENERAL: Your letter of the 14th is received and your wishes have all been anticipated. The moment I received your telegraphic dispatch saying that you approved my views, I sent Major Stewart to examine the new line, and it will be fortified under his direction. It has been given out that we are to fortify it as a second line, and a show of strengthening the defenses at Suffolk is to be kept up until it is ready.

I have just returned from Suffolk; the enemy is on this side the Blackwater and in considerable force. Colonel Foster is between him and our working party with 8,000 men. We hope to finish our work on the Weldon road by Wednesday. When we go to Zuni we shall send a still larger force.

My man came in from Richmond to-day. He says that only one division of Longstreet's force went north of Richmond, and that it returned to Petersburg, being too late for the battle of Fredericksburg. He confirms my former statements that the force before Suffolk was near 40,000, and he says this whole force is at Petersburg, on the Blackwater, and back of Franklin, on the Weldon road.

The Richmond has met with an accident; he could not ascertain precisely what, but thinks it was some damage to her machinery. The two iron-clads on the stocks are getting on slowly. He thinks they cannot be completed before August, but he judged from what he saw that workmen had been transferred from one to the other, indicating an intention to bring one out as soon as possible.

He is satisfied that troops have recently been brought to Richmond from Georgia and South Carolina and sent on to Fredericksburg. It was said at Richmond that Lee was to attack Hooker and drive him back to the Potomac.

I am, very respectfully and truly, yours,

JOHN A. DIX,

Major-General.

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*Cipher.

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