out of the valley and complete the devastation they commenced when they were ejected from it. General Grant's place of op­erations here appears to be to'mine and bombard our lines, 'with a view of driving us from them, and as he is very strongly forti­fied, he can operate with fewer troops, and enable him to detach a sufficient force for the purpose indicated. The largest force which I could detach, would be Kershaw's & Field's Divisions, and that would not leave me a man out of the trenches for any emergency which might arise. If it is their intention to endeavor to overwhelm Early, I think it better to detach these troops, than to hazard his destruction and that of our Rail Roads, etc: north of Richmond; and I therefore submit the question to the better judgment of your Excellency. ) On the 29th ultimo: 'McCausland's & Thonson' s (?) r.)0 ~tt $0" ) ~ ....lp~r-e "'~"''iT.)... Brigades of cavalry crossed the Potomac at Clear Springs with orders to proceed to Chambersburg; thence west to Cumberland and destroy the bridges over the Baltimore & Ohio Rail Road, and the machinery &c. at the coal pits in the neighborhood, and after gathering all the cattle in Alleghany & adjacent counties in Pennsylvania, to return through Hardy. To cover this movement, two divisions of infantry moved to Williamsport, and a third Bri­ gade of cavalry proceeded to Hagerstown, where they burned a train of twenty or thirty cars, loaded with stores. On the 30th ul­timo: Gen'l Early returned to Martinsburg, by the west road to avoid observation. Learning that the 6th & 19th Corps were moving up from Washington, the 6th Corps having reached Halltown, he determined to fall back to Winchester where he could deliver battle, to greater advantage. I do not think that the whole of the 19th Oorps -could have reached the valley; but it seems that Gen'l Early's presenoe in the valley tends to excite the apprehension of the Federal au­ thorities, and to cause a detachment of troops from Grant. If IAorgan could have struck the Baltimore & Ohio Rail Road in the neigh­ borhood of Cheat River, and have proceeded into Washington Oounty, Penna. as I had projected he would have created a valuable diversion in Early's favor. I am with great respect Your obdt. servt. R. Ee LEE Genl To His Excellency Jefferson Davis Presd't Oonfed. state.