SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF WASHINGTON, Numbers 169. Washington, D. C., July 3, 1861.

The following-named regiments will constitute a brigade, and are hereby placed under the command of Colonel L. Blenker, of the Eighth Regiment New York Volunteers: Eighth Regiment New York Volunteers, Twenty-ninth Regiment New York Volunteers, Garibaldi Guards, New York volunteers.

By command of Brigadier-General Mansfield:

THEO. TALBOT,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

[2.]

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF PENNSYLVANIA, Numbers 30. Martinsburg, Va., July 3, 1861.

Until further orders the headquarters of this department will be at Martinsburg, Va., post-office, Hagerstown, Md.

By order of Major-General Patterson:

F. J. PORTER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[2.]

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPT. OF NORTHEASTERN VIRGINIA, Numbers 24. Arlington, July 4, 1861.

I. Captain A. Baird and Captain W. D. Whipple, Adjutant-General's Department, having reported for duty in compliance with orders from the War Department, are assigned, the former as assistant adjutant-general to General Tyler's command, and the latter as assistant adjutant-general to Colonel Hunter's command.

* * * * * * *

By command of General McDowell:

JAMES B. FRY,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

[2.]

HEADQUARTERS ROCKVILLE EXPEDITION,
Opposite Harper's Ferry, July 5, 1861.

Major FITZ JOHN PORTER,

Asst. Adjt. General, Hdqrs. Department of Pennsylvania:

SIR: Your letter of yesterday's date by which the major-general commanding directs me to move in the direction of Charlestown to effect a junction with the main column, is just received.* I shall endeavor to pass the river and comply with the instructions of the major-general commanding; but my command being entirely destitute of cavalry or artillery the passage of the river and advance through a country full of hostile cavalry will be necessarily slow and somewhat hazardous. If it be intended that I should act on Leesburg, I should cross at or near Noland's Ferry, three miles below Point of Rocks, on the south of the ridge and below the Shenandoah River. This command now consists of the First Pennsylvania Regiment, the Ninth New York (eight companies), the First New Hampshire, and five companies of the Pennsylvania Twenty-fifth, besides a detachment of some

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* See Porter to Stone, July 4, Vol II, p. 121.

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