With the increasing denseness of the foliage they scout with more impunity than heretofore. Some thirty-five or forty of them made their appearance yesterday in the neighborhood of Linden a few moments after a train passed westward through that place. I now have a company of infantry at that point. The Broad Run bridge gave way yesterday, but was repaired at once by a detail of mechanics from my command, so that only one train was slightly delayed upon the road.

Very respectfully,

John W. GEARY,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

(Same to Major-General McDowell, commanding Department of the Rappahannock, Fredericksburg, Va.)

[12.]

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington City, D. C., May 16, 1862.

Major General JOHN E. WOOL,

Fortress Monroe:

Your dispatch is cipher is received.* The reasonableness of your request is acknowledged, and every effort will be made to comply with your wishes.

EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

[11.]

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington City, D. C., May 16, 1862-1.10 p. m.

Major-General WOOL,

Fortress Monroe:

I have the pleasure to inform you that the President has nominated you major-general of the Regular Army for gallant conduct in the capture of Norfolk and other meritorious services.

EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

[11.]

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
White House, May 17, 1862-11 a. m.

Honorable W. H. SEWARD,

Fort Monroe:

Dispatch received. Roads are so bad that I can only move light advanced guards. We occupy Baltimore Cross-Roads, and push out reconnaissances toward the bridges. We are making constant, though slow, progress. Contraband reports that he heard rebels say our gun-boats eight miles from Richmond. Nothing definite as to rebel troops, except that they retire as we advance. Do not think them now in any force this side of Chickahominy. We are doing as well as we can under the circumstances.

G. B. McCLELLAN,

Major-General.

[11.]

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*See VOL. XI, Part III, p. 174.

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