RICHMOND, September 5, 1861.

Brigadier General J. B. MAGRUDER,

Yorktown:

It is highly essential that Commander W. C. Whittle, in charge of your batteries, should be sent to Fort Macon if you can spare him. Reply immediately.

S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General.

[4.]

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE KANAWHA,
Camp Gauley, September 5, 1861.

General R. T. BOWEN:

DEAR SIR: In accordance with instructions received from General Floyd, I inclose you copy of a letter received from General Chapman. From this letter you are informed of the movements of the enemy in certain portions of our State. General Chapman thinks it important to the public interests that the militia of Tazewell, Buchanan, McDowell, under your command, should be at once emodied. In this opinion General Floyd fully concurs, and instructs me to say to you that you will proceed to embody the militia under your command as soon as possible after receiving this. When you have done so, you will at once report to General Chapman. It may be proper to state that General Floyd is in almost daily communication with General Chapman, and hence your movements will be made known to General Floyd through General Chapman.

By order of Brigadier General John B. Floyd, commanding Army of the Kanawha:

WILLIAM E. PETERS,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Floyd's Brigade.

[Inclosure.]

HEADQUARTERS NINETEENTH BRIGADE,
Cotton Hill, Fayette County, September 5, 1861.

Brigadier General JOHN B. FLOYD,

Commanding the Army of the Kanawha:

GENERAL: I have just received information from a reliable messenger that the Federal and Union forces combined have burnt the village of Boonesville, including court-house and jail. He reports their number at 800, which, I would think, was anb exaggeration. It was expected that they would proceed to Logan to attempt the rescue of two men who were captains of Union companies about Peytona, and who had been arrested and placed in Boone jail and from there sent to the Logan jail. I have to-day sent a detachment to bring away said captains, that they may be confined in a more secure place, and also directed them to arrest and bring with them the attorney for the commonwealth of the county of Wyoming, who is an open and avowed Tory, and is doing us much harm. Under these circumstances it would be very important that the militia of Tazewell, Buchannan, McDowell, &c., should be embodied, if they have not been agreeable to your expectation some time since, and take a position in the country of Wyoming or thereabouts. They would give security to the loyal and, through terror, keep under the disaffected, and would also prevent my supplies from being cut off, all of which have to be drawn from Monroe. I hope you will give the

18 R R-VOL LI, PT II