headquarters is in violation of the spirit of the general regulations of the Army and will be rescinded. These officers are on a duty corresponding in every particular with that recognized as the general recruiting service, and which specially is under the direction and sole control of the Adjutant-General of the Army, subject to the direction of the Secretary of War. No general commanding a department has authority to give orders to any officers on this duty. The commander-in-chief further desires to state that as the Department of New York is under the command of Major-General Morgan orders from such department must come from the commanding officer thereof in his military capacity. The Governor of a State is a civil State officer. He cannot give instructions to those serving in a military capacity under the Federal Government, and all orders of such a nature given by him as Governor must necessarily be null and void.

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

L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General.

WASHINGTON, D. C., November 25, 1861.

Honorable SIMON CAMERON,

Secretary of War:

DEAR SIR: Agreeably to your direction I have the honor to submit the following report concerning the railway lines which have been under the control of the Government for a period of about six months prior to November 1, 1861:

Before entering upon narration of details, it is perhaps proper to remark that unlike the ordinary operations of railroads, where there are permanent sources of revenue to meet the current expenses and the decay of property, those of the Government have been of a character requiring continual expenditure without any direct revenue, although indirectly the advantages to the Government have been of great importance. Thus far the business has been to repair and reconstruct what the enemy have destroyed - at times and places difficult to procure material and under circumstances unfavorable to an economical expenditure.

About the close of April last the Government took possession of the Washington Branch of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad between the cities of Washington and Baltimore, a distance of forty miles, and the Annapolis and Elk Ridge Railroad, between the city of Annapolis, Md., and Annapolis Junction, a distance of about twenty miles. Previous to this period the enemy destroyed seven bridges upon the Northern Central Railroad north of Baltimore, which were immediately rebuilt by the company, protected by Government. The Annapolis and Elk Ridge Railroad, and the Washington Branch of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad have since, by your order, been surrendered to the respective companies, and as the accounts between them and the Government have not been adjusted, no accurate statement of the receipts and expenses can be given at this time.

When the Washington army crossed the Potomac, immediate possession was assumed of the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, and the Alexandria, Hampshire and Loudoun Railroad, together with their depots, shops, machinery, and such other property as had not been taken beyond the reach of our Army. As the enemy retired they removed chiefly all their rolling-stock equipment. Tracks were in some places torn up, and bridges in every instance thoroughly destroyed;

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