as commander of division in this corps, and will report for duty in accordance with his orders.

II. Brigadier General John J. Peck having been assigned to the command of the division lately commander by Brigadier General Silas Casey by orders from headquarters Army of the Potomac, is relieved from duty as commander of a brigade in Couch's division, and will report for duty in accordance with his orders.

III. Brigadier General a. P. Howe having reported for duty with this corps, in accordance with orders from headquarters Army of the Potomad, is assigned to the command of the brigade in Couch's division lately commanded by Brigadier-General Peck, and as such will enter upon the discharge of his duties without delay.

By order of Brigadier General E. D. Keyses:

C. C. SUYDAM,

Captain and Assistatn Adjutant-General.

[11.]

HEADQUARTERS EIGHTH ILLINOIS CAVALRY,
June 24, 1862.

Brigadier General FITZ JOHN PORTER:

GENERAL: I send you herewith a young man who (according to his story) was in our army and taken prisoners at Winchester; escaped at Lynchburg and made his way to Richmond, and from thence by a circuitous route to the lines of my pickets-morning. His story is not a good one, and I think false. He is either spy, scout, or deserter from the rebels. I think by questioning him as though you believed his tale you will have the same opinion.

Respectfully, &c.,

J. F. FARNSWORTH,

Colonel, Commanding Eighth Illinois Cavalry.

[11.]

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
Camp Lincoln, Henrico County, Va., Tuesday, June 24, 1862.

Brigadier General ANDREW PORTER,

Provost-Marshal-General, Army of the Potomac:

GENERAL: The following statement was made at this office this p. m. by Charles Rian, arrested by Colonel Farnsworth, cavalry, and send to these headquarters by General Porter, to wit:

Charles Rian states that he is seventeen years old; born in Iowa City; left there with his parents at the age of three of four years; moved to Albany, where his father was engaged in the hide business, having a branch in Montreal. States he left Albany with his mother at the age of five years and went to New Orleans; remained there with John Brewster (an uncle); attenced school (his mother in the meantime was going to and from New York, Albany, and different other places in the North) where informant remained four years, and went to Saing Mary's Parish, about 150 miles, on the Gulf of Mexico, where he met his mother (this was in the hot season); remained with her and an uncle, Henry Brewser, about six weeks, or rether mouths, and thence to Bayon La Fourche, leaving his mother, where he remained about two years; remained with friends sporting around. In the mean time his farther had sould out his interest in Albany and Montreal and taken up his residence in Baltimore, his mohter still remaining at his uncle's at Saint Mary; s Parish. Informant went to Baltimore and met his farter; remained a month or two, and thence to New Orleans with his uncle, John Brewster; remained two or three years, going to Dolbear's Commercial Institute, until the war broke out. Left New Orleans soon after the battle of New Orleans, when he went to Baltimore; remained with his father two weeks or so (his mother still remaining at Saint Mary's); thence