laws of the State. It suspends the writ of habeas corpus and the action of the courts in all civil cases, except those mentioned in the proclamation of the President. But it invests the military authorities with no general and arbitrary control of civil matters. Especially has the officer appointed by you no power or control over the militia, the reoganization of which will take place under the laws and instructions that will shorly be communicated to you. It gives that officer no power to decide upon the right of any person to exemption from military duty, as he seems to have undertaken to do in the case of Mr. C. R. Jones. In accordance with my understanding of the enforcement of martial law and in conformity with the course pursued in this city without objection, you will only require a provost-marshal with the style, power, and duties of such officer, and I desire that the officer appointed by you to enforce the proclamation of the President and the orders issued in pursuance thereof be directed to conform in his style and course of proceeding with the foregoing views. A copy of the opinion of the Attorney-General will be forwarded to you for your guidance.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. E. LEE,

General, Commanding.

[11.]

SPECIAL ORDERS,
ADJT. AND INSP. GENERAL'S OFFICE, Numbers 67.
Richmond, March 24, 1862.

* * * * *

III. The Twenty-sixth Regiment Alabama Volunteers, under Colonel Smith, will without delay proceed to Yorktown, Va., and report for duty to Major-General Magruder, commanding Army of [the] President, who will cause them to be armed there.

* * * * *

XXIV. The Fourteenth Regiment Alabama Volunteers, under Colonel Judge, will proceed without delay to Yorktown, Va., and report for duty to Major-General Magruder, commanding Army of [the] Peninsula.

* * * * *

By command of the Secretary of War:

John WITHERS,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

[9.]

GENERAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS SECOND DIVISION, Numbers 11.
Camp Taylor, March 24, 1862.

Brigadier General A. P. Hill having reported for duty with this division, is assigned to the command of the First Brigade.

By command of Major-General Longstreet:

G. MOXLEY SORRELL,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[12.]

RAPIDAN, March 25, 1862.

The PRESIDENT:

Your dispatch of to-day just received. I sent by Captain Alexander this morning a brief report of General Jackson.* The affair, as he describes it, is not so serious as that given in your dispatch. General J. attacked the enemy under the impression that their force was less than

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*See VOL. XII, Part I, p. 379.

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