250 men from Fayette and Raleigh Counties, besides Caskie's Rangers, numbering forty-one. While awaiting re-enforcements from Monroe, Giles, and Mercer Counties in General Chapman's brigade, understanding there were four companies of volunteers newly organized and officered in the county of Mercer in the vicinity of Princeton, viz, two companies of cavalry, under Capts. Napoleon B. French and William Henderson French, and two companies of infantry under Capts. John Peck and John Dunlap, I repaired there with Doctor Stites, my acting surgeon, for the purpose of mustering them into my Thirty-fifth Regiment and consolidating and preparing them for the field in my camp of instruction without delay. These captains refused to be mustered into service, and the militia of Mercer having been called out by General Chapman's order at the same time, they and their men refused to march with the militia, disobeying the order of the colonel of the militia regiment to that effect. I am also informed that there is a company of infantry fully organized under Captain William P. Cecil and two more companies now forming in the county of Tazewell and one forming in Giles County. General, I ask that you will send me explicit and posiive orders for these several companies to repair without delay to my camp of instruction and be mustered into service. These companies are without good drill masters, and will require a good deal of attention to fit them for the field, evne with the advnatages and facilities of camp of instruction, and the public service, in my opinion, demands that these companies be promptly mustered in the service. As soon as I am re-enforced by the militia from Monroe, giles, and Mercer Counties, which by a dispatch from General Chapman will take place in a few days, I will advance toward Fayette Court-House and Cotton Hill, scouting, watching closely, and harassing the enemy, and co-operating, as far as the nature of my force will admit, with Generals Floyd and Wise.

Very respectfully, general, your obedient servant,

ALFRED BECKELY,

Brigadier-General, and Colonel Thirty-fifth Regiment Volunteers.

[Indorsement.]

HEADQUARTERS,
Valley Mountain, August 25, 1861.

Respectfully referred to General J. B. Floyd, commanding Army of Kanawha, with copy of reply, who is desired to give such orders as may be necessary in the case.

R. E. LEE,

General, Commanding.

[5.]

SPECIAL ORDERS,
ADJT. AND INSP. GENERAL'S OFFICE, Numbers 130.
Richomond, August 21, 1861.

* * * * * * *

XII. The undermentioned brigadier-generals of the Provisional Army of the Confederate States are assigned to duty as follows, viz: First, Brigadier Gens. Isaac R. Trimble and George B. Crittenden will proceed to Manassas, Va., and report to General J. E. Johnston, commanding the Army of the Potomac; second, Brigadier General Roswell S. Ripley will assume command of the Department of South Carolina and the Coast Drfenses of that State; third, Brigadier Gens. Daniel Ruggles and R. H. Anderson will proceed to Pensacola, Fla., and report to General Bragg, commanding; fourth, Brigadier General Richard C. Gatlin will assume command of the Department of North Carolina and the Coast