HEADQUARTERS NORTHWESTERN VIRGINIA,
Huntersville, Va., July 31, 1861.

General JOHN B. FLOYD:

SIR: I conversed yesterday with Major Byrd, who carried an express from an officer of this command to General Wise. He informs me that he saw the command at Gauley Bridge, about sixty miles from Lewisburg, and thinks it was the intention to give battle. Will you be kind enough to put yourself into communication with General Wise, and if you have information to justify it, join him at once. As soon as I received the information expecting two regiments at Staunton I sent word for them to go to Millborough; others will be there to join this command. They will be there some days and may be stopped if necessary. The enemy are on Cheat Mountain, with a considerable force at its base and along the road to Beverly. We are slowly concentrating here of the want of transportation and supplies. If the enemy is not pressing in the direction of Wise, and the different commands can join me, I think we can give the enemy a decided blow in the vicinity of Cheat Mountain and also strike the column sent in the direction of Wise. I beg that you will give me the earliest information of the movements of both General Wise and yourself. It is desirable, of course, that the information ocntained herein be not public.

With respect, I have the honor to be, your obedient servant,

W. W. LORING,

Commanding Northwestern Army.

[2.]

RICHMOND, VA., July 31, 1861.

General CHARLES CLARK,

Corinth, Miss.:

Please communicae to Captain James D. Caulfield, at Iuka, that his company (Liberty Guards) has been accepted by the President, and will organize into one of the Mississippi regiments now at Iuka. You will plese order these two regiments, as soon as completed, to proceed to Lynchburg, Va.

S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General.

[2.]

RICHMOND, August 1, 1861.

Major H. L. CLAY, Lynchburg:

Please give me by telegraph the names of he colonels of the several Tennessee regiments that have arrived at Lynchburg since July 20, and the designation of each regiment, stating which have been sent forward to Staunton and which remaining at Lynchburg. No more than five in all are to take the Staunton route; the others, if any, will be held at Lynchburg until further orders.

S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General.

[5.]

RICHMOND, August 1, 1861.

Major H. L. CLAY, Lynchburg:

Detain the Sixteenth Mississippi Regiment, Colonel Carnot Posey, at Lynchburg until further orders. Its destination will be Manassas.

S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General.

[5.]