HEADQUARTERS, July 30, 1862.

General H. A. WISE,
Commanding:

GENERAL: I have had the depth of water in the river measured, and am satisfied that we can do nothing toward blocking up the channel; that is, that we cannot reduce the depth sufficient to do any good. I found much more water than I expected.

Very respectfully,

J. LONGSTREET,

Major-General, Commanding.

[11.]

HEADQUARTERS,
July 31, 1862.

General H. A. WISE,

Commanding, &c.:

GENERAL: It is not worth while to continue the work on the dikes. I am quite satisfied we can accomplish nothing by it. I wish you would give notice to your neighbors that the must try and get their wheat crops in. If we should have to give up their grounds, we must have the wheat destroyed rather than allow it to fall into their hands. We have rumors that the enemy is drawing off his forces, but have not been able to learn anything definite.

Very respectfully,

J. LONGSTREET,

Major-General, Commanding.

[11.]

HDQRS. RIGHT WING, ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA,
August 1, 1862.

Major S. P. MITCHELL,

Quartermaster, &c.:

MAJOR: The major-general commanding directs that you furnish to-day, with the least practicable delay, a set of intrenching tools to each of the brigades of Generals Drayton and Evans. The brigade of General Evans will be at work on the Varina road, that of General Drayton on the New Market road, and the tools are to be furnished at those points.

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

G. M. SORREL,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[11.]

RICHMOND, VA., August 2, 1862.

General R. E. LEE,

Commanding, &c.:

GENERAL: In reply to your note of this day, I would state that, having entire confidence in your experience and knowledge of the best method of conducting a correspondence relating to military matters, I leave it to your judgment to decide upon the mode of forwarding the communications in question. It was my intention that copies of the letters inclosed to you should be embodied in your letter to the Federal general, but if you think it better to modify the arrangement I will be glad to have you do so.

Very respectfully, yours,

JEFFERSON DAVIS.

[11.]