RICHMOND, VA., October 5, 1863.

General R. E. LEE,

Orange Court-House, Va.:

GENERAL: Yours of this date received.* I leave in the morning for General Bragg's headquarters, and hope to be serviceable in harmonizing some of the difficulties existing there. Your telegram in relation to General Iverson was sent to the Adjutant-General, with instructions to give the requisite orders for his transfer to Georgia. As I shall leave before I can see either the Adjutant-General or the Secretary of War, I would suggest in relation to General Jones, because of the reason assigned by you, that you direct him to report to the Adjutant-General here, that he may be assigned either as you suggest, or, if that vacancy be filled, he may be usefully employed in Southwestern Virginia and East Tennessee, and I will direct when the vacancy occurs, by transfer of General Jones, that Colonel Rosser be promoted as recommend by you.

Very truly, yours,

JEFFERSON DAVIS.

[29.]

HDQRS. CAVALRY CORPS, ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA,
October 6, 1863.

[General R. E. LEE:?]

GENERAL: I have the honor to report that my scouts have just brought in three deserters from the enemy. They are Englishmen and intelligent men. When examined separately they agree in the statement that four corps have left Meade's army to re-enforce Rosecrans. One received this information from his lieutenant. Another was informed by a comrade, who was returning to his company through Alexandria, that he had seen the Eleventh and Twelfth Corps pass through that place. Another comrade has informed him that he had seen the First Corps take the cars at Culpeper. On Thursday or Friday last the Fifth Corps moved from the vicinity of Stone House Mountain, where it had been encamped near the Sixth, and moved back toward the railroad. One of these men was informed by his lieutenant that on Friday the Third Corps moved back to take the place of the Fifth and another corps that had been guarding the railroad but had gone to the West. On Sunday morning the Sixth Corps had five days' rations issued and were under marching orders. The colonel of the Third Vermont Regiment told one of these men (who has been employed as drill-master) that the impression was that they would move back to Warrenton Springs, and there go into winter quarters. All agree that the general impression among the army was that a retrograde movement was being made. I inclose you a dispatch just received from one of my most reliable scouts. It is dated the 3d, but the bearer of its says he received it from the writer on the night of the 4th at Amissville. I think, therefore, that Cloud must have made a mistake in the date, and placed it 3rd instead of 4th. I have received your dispatch and will come over in the morning, unless you desire me to come sooner.

Most respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. E. B. STUART,

Major-General.

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*See VOL. XXIX, Part II, p. 771.

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