regiments may be provided for as soon as mustered. If no successor is appointed to Colonel Anderson, I can take charge of this matter until he recovers. A point has arisen in Western Virginia which may arise in Kentucky, and should be promptly decited. It is whether troops will be received on condition that they are to be used only in defence of their own State. This condition would permit us to use Kentucky troops in Tennessee, and in any event it is almost certain that when once mustered in the condition would soon lose its importance in the eyes of the troops, and they would ere long consent to serve anywhere.

Without granting this condition it will, I fear, be very difficult to raise many men in Western Virginia. I would be glad to see that condition permitted them when necessary, in order to make the Ohio and Indiana troops available as soon as possible in other directions. I may here state that comparatively few of the Virginia troops thus far raised are really Virginians, but mostly from Pennsylvania and Ohio, so that no inference as to the facility of raising troops unconditionally in Virginia and Kentucky should be drawn from the past. I need arms, clothing, &c., for Virginia troops without delay, and think they should soon be on hand for the Kentucky troops.

I am, very respectflly, general, your obedient servant,

GEO. B. McCLELLAN,

Major-General, U. S. Army, Commanding Department.

[4.]

HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,
Washington, June 4, 1861.

General McCLELLAN,

Commanding, &c., Cincinnati, Ohio:

It is deemed here unwise to send to Kentucky a commander or troops not natives and residents of that State. (See telegram of yesterday.) Colonel Rousseau is commander of the home guard at Louisville. Can you not place him in command of the Kentucky Department?

WINFIELD SCOTT.

[4.]

MORROW, WARREN COUNTY, OHIO, June 4, 1861.

General TOTTEN;

DEAR COUSIN: I had not a hand the facts you desired, since the whole boat business has changed since I investigated it; but I proceeded at once to get the information wanted. It is not as precise as I should like it, but I can give it wholesale - near enough for the general purpose.

First. There are sixty steam-boats enrolled in the port of Cincinuati, of which number fifty-three are now in port. These boats average over 300 tons, and will doubtless carry and accommodate, with baggage, from 400 to 500 each - say 400 - making 20,000.

Second. There are at Pittsburg, Wheeling, &c., some forty or fifty more steam-boats which are available, discarding the small ones; but if the lower Ohio is to be traversed at low water, then the small sternwheelers are the best. We might count of the better class some forty more, making 15,000 men carriage.