far. The rebels believed, as I am well informed, that my force in this valley is as great as the whole will be when concentrated, and suppose the Guyandotte force to be an additional column advancing, and I am confident of effecting the concentration in time for any necessity I may have, with the additional advantage of having produced a good moral effect upon the lower counties by the march of troops that way. My advance is steady, but not rapid. I scout the country ahead a day's march in advance, and then move with a good advance guard on each side the river, sending out skirmishers, the steamers following with the baggage and a regiment which can be thrown upon either side at need. At Knob Shoals, a couple of miles above Buffalo, and here at Red House are very difficult places in the navigation of the river. One of our boats grounded at Knob Shoals, and was I some danger of being injured or wrecked, but got off again without damage. I have two boats above the obstructions placed here by the enemy, which, although they make the passage difficult and a little dangerous, have not totally stopped the channel. The Kentucky regiments have found some impediments in the lack of tents, which were a little behind, and in the enormous quantity of their baggage, which has hindered their fully performing their part of my plan, and my arrival at Charleston may be a day later than I advised you in my last dispatch. I have issued a peremptory order to reduce the baggage to the regulation weight. The Eleventh Regiment are yet without tents. I have half of them quartered at Point Pleasant as a guard there and the rest here. No more artillery has arrived. Only thirty-eight of my horsemen have saddles, and the rest of the troop are waiting at Gallipolis for their equipments. My force here now is as follows: Four companies of Eleventh Regiment, the whole of Twelfth, whole of Twenty-first, two rifled cannon, with forty-nine men, two smooth-bore cannon without caisssons or cannoneers. In the course of twenty-four hours I shall expect to be joined by half the First Kentucky Regiment, leaving the other half at Ripley, and in two or three days to be joined by the whole of the Second Kentucky. If my reconnaissance is satisfactory, I shall not wait for the latter short of Charleston.

Meanwhile I remain, general, truly and respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. D. COX,

Brigadier-General, Commanding District of the Kanawha.

[2.]

HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF NORTHEASTERN VIRGINIA,
Arlington, July 15, 1861.

Colonel D. S. MILES,

Commanding Fifth Division:

SIR: It has just been learned that you have given Colonel Blenker orders to advance with his brigade this evening. The general commanding directs that you make no move whatever until you receive further orders, and that you take pains to see that there is no move made by either of your brigades until instructions are received from these headquarters. You will also give your especial attention to preventing depredations and administering punishment for those already committed.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JAMES B. FRY,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[2.]