WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington City, D. C., september 1, 1862.

His Excellency Governor TOD:

The order for time of drafting cannot be changed by this Department. I you postpone it you must take the responsibility. This has been the rule with all the States.

C. P. BUCKINGHAM,

Brigadier-General and Assistant Adjutant-General.

PHILADELPHIA, September 1, 1862.

(Received 2 p. m.)

Honorable E. M. STANTON:

My presence in this city was absolutely necessary. At it is I find great difficulty in sending forward the troops. Had I attended to the excuses offered I doubt whether a regiment would have been ready for several days to come. Provost's regiment left at 3 a. m. and Collis" at 8 a. m. Those two are armed. Tippin's will leave at noon and Ellmaker's at 6 p. m. Heenan's will leave to-morrow afternoon. These three regiment are unarmed. Biddle's may not get off until Tuesday evening. This regiment will be armed from Frankfort Arsenal. Wister's incomplete regiment goes to Harrisburg to-day and this disposes of all the volunteer regiments in this city. I shall return to Harrisburg to-morrow.

L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General.

HARRISBURG, September 1, 1862-10.20 a. m.

(Received 11 a. m.)

Honorable E. M. STANTON:

Unless I am authorized additional or assistant commissioners and surgeon in Philadelphia and several counties it will be impossible to be ready for draft in season. Please authorize it. I have selected the very best men in the several counties as commissioners, and will nominate them to you bodily to act as provost-marshal, in accordance with General Orders, Numbers 99. Please signify your approval and they can be announced in an order.

A. G. CURTIN.

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington City, D. C., September 2, 1862.

Major-General BUTLER,

Commanding, &c., New Orleans:

GENERAL: I inclose herewith for your information copies of several communications address by the Department of State to the diplomatic representatives of Great Britain, France, and the Netherlands in this city, growing out of the conflict between the military authorities and the consuls of the counties at New Orleans.

Your, truly,

EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

(Same to Brigadier-General Shepley, Military Governor of Louisiana.)

32 R R -SERIES III, VOL II