War of the Rebellion: Serial 018 Page 0649 Chapter XXIV. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. - UNION.

right; that the fault was in his men. He ordered them to load, but they did not. I ordered back nearly all the trains, and will load them to-night with supplies and ammunition, and send forward as fast as possible in preference to troops. I must go to the Department and explain position of affairs, but have been incessantly engaged day and night for a week. Will try to come to-morrow.

HAUPT.

ALEXANDRIA DEPOT, August 24, 1862 - 2 p. m.

P. H. WATSON, Esq.,

Assistant Secretary of War:

If General Hooker is in Washington please ask him if it will suit him to start in the morning instead of this night. Calls have been made on transportation which were not expected, and delays from various causes make returns of power slow. We keep moving night and day, eat little, and sleep almost none. Twenty thousand more troops just arrived.

H. HAUPT.

ALEXANDRIA DEPOT, August 24, 1862. - 3 p. m.

Major-General HALLECK:

What your order in regard to subsistence is precisely in accordance with my direction. What is needed for subsistence must take precedence of everything else, but no accumulation of stores in front to be permitted.

H. HAUPT.

WASHINGTON, D. C.,

August 24, 1862 - 1.30 p. m.

Captain C. B. FERGUSON,

Assistant Quartermaster, Alexandria, Va.:

I have just come from General Halleck's headquarters. The superintendent of the railroad reports that he can send the troops forward by rail. Let them be landed and encamped until the cars can be got ready.

D. H. RUCKER,

Quartermaster and Colonel, & c.

FALMOUTH, [August] 24, 1862 - 2 p. m.

Captain C. G. SAWTELLE,

Assistant Quartermaster, Fort Monroe:

The commanding general desires that you will push forward the embarkation of the troops with all possible dispatch, and have the transports get under way on being loaded, unless it is somewhat dangerous for them to do so. The general wishes you to report two or three times daily what progress is being made in embarking the troops at Yorktown and Fort Monroe.

S. WILLIAMS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.