be forwarded at once. It seems that all the carriages for the heavy guns and most of the guns intended for me have to come from Wattervliet and other Eastern arsenals. It is my opinion that at least six heavy guns, say three 8-inch howitzers and three 24-pounders, should be at Cairo in the shortest possible time. I will endeavor to go to Cairo to-day; shall certainly send Captain Benham there immediately on his arrival. I design so covering the batteries as to rendr secure against assault, and would again urge the importance of occupying Bird's Point, on the Missouri side. It will probably be necessary to intrench a small force at Mound City to cover the rear of Cairo. I have been anxiously awaiting Major Bell, of the ordnance, for the last day or two, that he may at once take steps toward the manufacture of infantry accounterments and the preparation of ammunition. Arms will be issued to all the Ohio Volunteers by to-morrow. I deferred it until it could be done with regularity and to afford the opportunity of making some progress in organization and discipline before placing arms in their hands. To revert to Cairo, the presence of some armed steamers there seems to me indispensable and to admit of no delay. Is it not necessary here to provide some limited means of transportation?

I have the honor to be, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEO. B. McCLELLAN,

Major-General, Commanding Department.

[2.]

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE OHIO,
Cincinnati, Ohio, May 14, 1861.

Lieutenant Colonel E. D. TOWNSEND,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

COLONEL: Captain H. W. Benham, Corps of Engineers, arrived this morning. He left for Cairo this afternoon with instructions to place that point in a thorough state of defense. I gave him my general ideas and directions, and will endeavor to follow him to-morrow. No time shoudl be lost in forwarding carriages for the heavy guns from Watervliet, as there are none at Pittsburg. It is vitally important to have heavy guns at Cairo. I hope to be allowed to mount one of the Randeall companies as soon as they arrive. My letters from Wheeling indicate that the time rapidly approaches when we must be prepared to sustain the Union men there. A movement on Parkesburg and the Grafton branch of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad seems the proper one for that purpose. Cumberland should also be occupied by the Pennsylvania troops. I am not yet officially informed whether I have anything to do with Western Pennsylvania and Virginia. I have applications for arms and for receiving into the service troops from Virginia. I cannot urge too strongly the necessity of my receiving some expression of the views of the Administration on these points.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEO. C. McCLELLAN,

Major-General.

[2.]

NEW YORK, May 14, 1861.

Honorable S. CAMERON,

Secretary of War:

SIR: I have been appointed a major-general of the volunteer militia of this State, and presume that notice of my appointment has been