the General-in-Chief and to the Secretary of War. I was verbally ordered by the General-in-Chief to report here to Major-General Patterson asd his assistant adjutant-general, and to hasten to Annapolis, there to post General Butler as to affairs in Washington and to urge upon him "to stud the railroad from Annapolis with men" and secure it from all injury. I reported for duty to General Patterson on the 28th instant [ultimo]. I passed through Annapolis on the 27th; delivered General Scott's message to General Butler and had full time and opportunity to see that General Butler was doing all that was in his power for the efficiency of the service with which he was intrusted. In closing this narrative I deem it my duty, and just and proper to all concerned, that I should give the following incidents connected with my short tour of service in Pennsylvania.

First. After the 19th August [April] all communication with Washington was broken for several days and more than two days was required to send there by messenger and get a reply. Seated in Governor Curtin's telegraph office at the capitol, Governor Curtin handed me the following dispatch, suggesting at the time I should reply to it as I had to otherse already received from the same person:

SAINT LOUIS, MO., April 21, 1861

Governor A. G. CURTIN,

Harrisburg, Pa.:

An officer of the Army here has received an order to muster in Missouri regiments. General Harney refuses to let them remain in the arsenal grounds or permit them to be armed. I wish these facts

to be communicated to the Secretary of War by special messenger and instructions sent immediately to Harney to receive the troops at the arsenal and arm them. Our friends distrust Harney very much. He should be superseded immediately by putting another commander in the district. The object of the secessionists is to seize the arsenal with its 70,000 stand of arms, and he refuses the means of defending it. We have plenty of men but no arms.

FRANK P. BLAIR, Jr.,

A previous message had been received asking that Captain N. Lyon, Second Infantry, should be assigned as mustering officer and to arm and equip the troops and to command them, and at Lieut. J. M. Schofield, then in Saint Louis, had been detailed as musetering officer. Other telegrams came urging Lyon's appointment, so when the above dispatch was handed to me, I felt it was my duty, and that I would be justified to use the name and authority of the Secretary of War and of the General-in-Chief, and I at once telegraphed:

HARRISBURG, PA., April 21, 1861.

General HARNEY,

Commanding, Saint Louis, Mo.:

Captain Nathaniel Lyon, Second Infantry, is detailed to muster in the troops at Saint Louis, and to use them for the protection of public property. You will see that they are properly armed and equipped.

By order of Lieutenant-General Scott;

F. J. PORTER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HARRISBURG, PA., April 21, 1861.

Honorable FRANK P. BLAIR, Jr.,

Saint Louis, Mo.:

Captain N. Lyon, Second Infantry, has been detailed to muster in the troops at Saint Louis and to use them for the protection of public property.

By order of the Secretary of War:

F. J. PORTER.

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Similar telegrams were sent to Major Seth Wiliams and to Captain Lyon.