that I do not think it at all prudent for you to remain all night, unless you can have their full protection. You must retire from any point before an overwhelming force.

I remain, respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. D. KEYES,

Major-General.

[18.]

HEADQUARTERS FOURTH ARMY CORPS,
Fort Yorktown, Va., April 9, 1863.

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief:

GENERAL: I have the honor to send for your information the following extract from the testimony of two refugees from the south, citizens of Prussia, who have just come through Richmond, on their way from South Carolina to Europe. They state:

That at about 10 a. m. on Friday, the 3rd instant, a vast assemblage of women, numbering at least 4,000, congregated in the park in front of the capitol and clamorously demanded bread for their starving families. Jeff. Davis apparead on the steps of the capitol and made a speech to the crowd, promising them money, which they declared to the worthless, and his voice was drowned amid cries for "bread!" "the Union!" "No more starvation!" &c. The crowd then proceeded to the general commissary depot, which was broken into and a large quantity of stores carried off by the people. Davis remarked that such disgraceful affairs were worse that Union victories.

This account so entirely corroborates those published in the papers of yesterday, and is besides so much more minute than those reports, that I deemed its communication to the Headquarters of the Army as of sufficient importance.

I have the honor to be, general, your obedient servant,

E. D. KEYES,

Major-General, Commanding Department of Virginia.

[18.]

[Indorsement on communication of Brigadier General A. A. Humphreys, dated April 3, 1863, and printed in VOL. XIX, Part I, p. 373.]

APRIL 10, 1863.

Another copy of this communication was indorsed by me to the Secretary of War. No further action seems necessary.

H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief.

[19.]

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF WASHINGTON, Numbers 55.
April 11, 1863.

1. The following assignment is made of medical officers in this department: Surg. J. W. Fitzpatrick, U. S. Volunteers, to report to Major General Julius Stahel, as medical director of the cavalry division; Surg. W. S. Thompson, U. S. Volunteers, to report to Colonel H. G. Sickel, as medical director of the Pennsylvania Reserve Corps.

* * * * *

7. The following designated troops will be immediately prepared to take the field. They must be ready by the morning of the 13th instant: Twenty-fifth and Twenty-seventh Maine Volunteers; Twelfth, Thirteenth, Fourteenth, Fifteenth, Sixteenth, and Tenth Vermont Volunteers; Thirty-ninth, One hundred and eleventh, One hundred and