SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. BATTLN. WASHINGTON ARTILLERY, Numbers 39.
In the Field, July 4, 1862.

Captain Eshleman will report with his company, and Lieutenant Richardson, commanding Second Company, the General Anderson for duty.

By order of J. B. Walton, colonel, commanding:

W. M. OWEN,
Adjutant.

[11.]

SPECIAL ORDERS,
ADJT. AND INSP. GENERAL'S OFFICE, Numbers 155.
Richmond, July 5, 1862.

* * * * *

IV. Major John Critcher's battalion Virginia Volunteers will report for duty to General Robert E. Lee, commanding, &c.

* * * * *

XVII. Colonel James Deshler, Provisional Army, will report to Brigadier General S. G. French, at Wilmington, N. C., for duty in command of Fort Fisher.

By command of the Secretary of War:

John WITHERS,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

[9 and 11.]

CHARLOTTESVILLE, July 5, 1862.

Honorable GEORGE W. RANDOLPH,

Secretary of War, &c.:

DEAR SIR: In the midst of your overwhelming and responsible duties I venture to intrude only so far as to ask the reading of this and a moments' consideration of the suggestions I make. Allow me in the first place, however, to congratulate you upon our glorious successes in front of Richmond. The fighting was wonderful and the results indeed most glorious. I trust confidently it will hush the idle clamors against the administration, and my particular friend, Lee. It places our ultimate success, in my judgment, beyond peradventure; yet, should there be any relaxation of the energetic action of our public authorities, it would no doubt greatly prolong the struggles and add to the distress and sufferuings still before us. Of this, however, I have no apprehension, and I beg pardon for alluding to it. My only apprehension is on the subject of supplies, andmy chief object in troubling you with this is to call your attention to the condition of things in our Valley of Virginia. I have recently been there, seen for myself, and gathered much reliable information from others. Beyond question there is now being being harvested in that quarter (if it can be saved) the finest wheat crop that ever grew even in that productive valley; and in addition I was gratified to learn that notwithstanding the ravages of the enemy and the heavy drafts made upon it by our own armies, there is still a large quantity of meats, both beef and bacon, yet to be found there. In addition to this, our woolen factories, I learb (except in one or two instances), have not been destroyed by the enemy even in the lower valley; and they have plenty of wool of this spring's clip and some left over. In Jefferson, Berkeley, Clarke, and Frederick, as I informed President Davis and Mr. Benjamin last fall, I ascertained there were twenty-three considerable woolen factories pouring out daily from 6,000