hopes you will come up in time. From this place (Auburn) the enemy seems to be quietly encamped at the junction, but is burning up everything on the line of the railroad. General Stuart is of the impression that they are breaking off from the railroad and retreating by parallel road toward the Occoquan by Bacon Race Church. He desires you to send this note to General R. E. Lee after reading it.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. B. McCLELLAN,

Major and Assistant Adjutant-General.

Keep pickets on the road leading toward Warrenton, so that the infantry may not be surprised.

Respectfully,

H. B. McCLELLAN,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[29.]

OCTOBER 13, 1863.

Major-General LEE,

Commanding, &c.:

GENERAL: General Stuart desires me to try and get a division or brigade of infantry (he thinks the latter will be sufficient) to advance to Auburn, so as to hold that as an intermediary point between Catlett's and Warrenton.

Very respectfully,

H. B. McCLELLAN,

Major and Assistant Adjutant-General.

[Indorsement.]

General R. E. LEE:

I send these two notes to you at General Stuart's request. I am at present one mile and a half from Auburn. Unless we can stop march of enemy along railroad he will probably be out of the way by daybreak to-morrow.

Very respectfully,

FITZ. LEE,

Major-General, Commanding.

[29.]

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,

Raleigh, October 15, 1863.

Honorable J. A. SEDDON,

Secretary of War:

DEAR SIR: The letters of General Benning and Lieutenant-Colonel Shephers, of the Second Georgia Regiment, in reference to the mob in this city are received. They are satisfactory so far as their denial of their own participation is concerned, though I cannot but think General Benning is mistaken in supposing that there were any number of North Carolina troops in the riot. In my letter to the President I said that General Benning remarked to Colonel Whitford, transportation agent here, some hours previous to the mob, that he should not be surprised if his men did tear down the Standard office, as he had heard it threatened; and that during the prevalence of violence I sent for him and he could not be found, and that my messenger sent for him was driven away from the depot by the soldiers. This raised a suspicion in my mind that he might have connived at the conduct of his men, which was heightened by the fact that he offered no apology or regret,