pledged to respond immediately to this call, and they shall be called into service whenever the enemy commence their attack upon General Floyd, which he will regard as begun whenever they leave their position before General Wise, on Sewell, and advance in this direction. Had not General Floyd been assured that the militia of this country could be embodied and could come, and would come to his support in time, he had not acceded to their wish to be allowed to go to their bomes. Their nearness to the generaland their fowness induced him to believe that this could be done; hence his course in disbanding them. The same reasons, you will observe, could not be emploued in disnbanding your command. Hence the general would not be justified before the country in disbanding them. The force of the every is very large, their strength great. General Floud will need every man he can get to check them in their apparent determination to march still forther into the interior of our State. Your forces will be needed, as also the militia of Greenbrier, who shall most assuredly be called upon. You wail therefore come on with your command. General Floyd is looking every day for the advance of the enemy upon him. They have been fighting General Wise occasionally for the last two days. General Floyd sent to his support four regiments. He is left with a small force. General Floyd is persuaded that you will see the exigency of the occasion and join him speedily.

By order of Brigadier General John B. Floyd:

WM. E. PETERS,

Assistant Adjutant - General, Floyd's brigade.

[5.]

GENERAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS WISE LEGION, Numbers 106.
Near Camp Defiance, Sewell Mountain,
September 25, 1861.

By order of the President of the Confederate States, through the Acting Secretary of War, I am " instructed to turn over all the troops heretofor immediately under my command to General Floyd and to report myself in person to the Adjutant - General in the city of Richmond, with the least dealy." I am ordered also in " making the transfer to General Floyd to include everything under my command." Ii will be impossible for me to make any inventure of things under my command. The staff officers will therefore make the proper returns and inventories of everything under my command and report duly to General Floud. It is not proper here to inquire into the reasons of this order. Ii is in legal form, from competent authority, and it could not have been foreseen by the President that it would reach me inopportunely whilst under the fire of the enemy by the side of my commanding general, at a stand made under my orders against a superior force, where the struggle will be severe, however certain may be the glorious victory. But the order is imperative, requiring" the least delay," and prompt obedience is the first duty of military service, though it may call for the greatest personal sacrifice. And the order is not so inopportune, when it finds my superior in every respect, General Robert E. Lee, present, in whose command I confidently leave the safety and honor of my legion.

HENRY A. WISE,

Brigadier - General.

[5.]