WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington, April 27, 1861.

Colonel H. B. CARRINGTON,

Columbus, Ohio:

DEAR SIR: I have yours of the 23rd instant, and would tender to you, as I have already done to His Excellency the Governor of Ohio, the thanks of this Department for the promptness and energy with which you have met the call of the Government.

I regret that, according to the plan adopted and under which this Department is acting, we can only accept for the present the quota first called for from Ohio. You will do well, however, in organizing and drilling other regiments so as to be prepared to meet any emergency that may arise.

Vert truly, yours,

SIMON CSAMERON,

Secretary of War.

HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,
Washington, D. C. April 28, 1861.

Major General JOHN E. WOLL,

Commanding Department of the East, New York:

GENERAL: The General-in-Chief directs me to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 25th instant and to say in reply that the very great necessity which exists for carrying out the business of the several staff departments with system, under their proper chiefs, compels him to request you will give no orders interfering with the purchase or issue of army supplies, such orders being, in all cases, dictated by the General-in-Chief himself. The General regrets your infirm health does not permit him to assign you to an important command away from your headquarters, and he recommends that you return to Troy to conduct the ordinary routine duties of your department and for the recovery of your health, known by him to be feeble.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. D. TOWNSEND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

P. S.- To prevent waste of the exceedingly liberal means offered by committees of private citizens for the use if the of the United States, the General has begged that the purchase and forwarding of all ordinary or regular army supplies by such committees may be made in consultation with the several staff officers charged with this duties in the principal cities. This, of course, does not apply to extra stores not authorized by any regulations which committees or friends may desire to provide for the volunteer troops.

Respectfully,

E. D. TOWNSEND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, April 28, 1861.

Major General ROBERT PATTERSON:

SIR: Your letter of the 25th instant, requesting that you "be authorized to muster into service of the United States one or more regiments of loyal Delawareans," &c., is before me, and in reply, beg leave to say that it has been the design of this Department to confer such authority