three brigades of McLaws' division; fourth, baggage train of Alexander and McLaws; fifth, Cabell's artillery; sixth, Henry's artillery; seventh, three brigades of Hood's division, eight, baggage train of Cabel's, Henry's, and Hood's division; ninth, one brigade of Hood's division.

By command of Lieutanant-General Longstreet;

G. M. SORREL,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[27.]

HEADQUARTERS NORTHWESTERN BRIGADE,
Williamsport, July 8, 1863.

Major ESHLEMAN,

Commanding Battalion Washington Artillery:

MAJOR: I am instructed to send two regiments of infantry and a battery to the south side of the river at this place for the defense of the crossing. You will move the artillery under your command across the river and put it in possition this evening. You will swim the horses across and take the guns and caissons over in the ferry-boat.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. D. IMBODEN

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

[27.]

BOTTOM'S BRIDGE, July 9, 1973-9,15 p. m.

General ELZEY:

General Hill desires you to send down as ear Bottom's Bridge as practicable to-night a railroad train for 2,000 men. Please say at what hour we may expect it. We have driven the Yankees back to White House. They did not show fight.

ARCHER ANDERSON,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[27.]

LEWISBURG, July 15, 1863.

Honorable JAMES A. SEDDON,

Secretary of War:

SIR: Our people are greatly exercised here under an apprehension that the troops which have been left in the Greenbier Valley for its protection and for the protection of the railroads are to be removed or so reduced in efficiency as to render them and the country an easy prey to the enemy. I have no idea of attempting to prescribe to your Department, or any one indeed, as to what should be done in the present exigency, but to confer with you upon the subject of our defences, ant to suggest the necessity of retaining all the troops here which are here now. If the enemy is permitted to cross the Sewell Mountains, which are west of this, and to us the most defensible point, the will have possession of all Western Virginia, and it will take a strong army to dislodge them, and that, too, after they shall have destroyed everything the country has produced. There is now certainly no excess of force here to enable it to hold the country. I should suppose, indeed I know-for we talked upon this subject last winter-that the Administration feels anxious, for political reasons, to retain the possession of this Valley. Give it up, and every part of the new State is gone; keep