RICHMOND, VA., May 2, 1863.

Lieutenant General JAMES LONGSTREET:

GENERAL: It will not be possible to furnish transportation from Franklin for any of your command. March to Ivor dept, where the railroad, with such limited transportation as can be commanded, will be place at your disposal. Captain E. B. Branch, assistant quarter at Petersburg, at the earliest moment you may was the cars.

S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General.

SUFFOLK, Va., May 2, 1863.

General S. COOPER:

I cannot move unless the entire force is moved, and it would them take several days to reach Fredericksburg. I will endeavor to move as soon as possible.

JAMES LONGSTREET,

Lieutenant-General, Commanding.

[Copy telegraphed to General Lee same date.]

HEADQUARTERS, May 2, 1863.

Major General S. G. FRENCH, Commanding, &c.:

GENERAL: Your not is received. As many as six or eight couriers have been sent Major Mitchell and Colonel Baker to use the utmost exertions to [move] everything across the Blackwater to[night], and I hope that everything may be before night to morrow. But we [must] be prepared to wait in case everything should not get over. I have no particular objections to a fight should the enemy pursue us. General Hood will take care of everything in his vicinity until all is over the river.

Most respectfully,
JAMES LONGSTREET,

Lieutenant-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS, May 2, 1863.

Major General S. G. FRENCH, Commanding, &c.:

GENERAL: Your note is received. I am glad to hear that the Fifty-fourth New York was well punished. We will move back to-morrow night. You ought to advise your signal line on the James River to what point it should retire to-morrow. You need not tell that we are going to move back, but only order them back to some point that will be safe for them.

With respect,

JAMES LONGSTREET,

Lieutenant-General, Commanding.