Ambrose E. Burnside to Joseph Hooker, December 9, 1862

December 9, 1862—3.45 a. m. By a copy of a dispatch to General Slocum, this moment forwarded to you, you will see that he is ordered to join you. You will, in the mean time, move the main body of the force now under your command to Wolf Run Shoals, keeping your cavalry well out in the direction of New Market and the gaps in the Bull Run Mountains. Have your command ready to move at an hour’s notice, with five or six days’ rations of bread and small stores, with a good supply of beef cattle. Your cavalry can communicate with those trom these headquarters at Dumfries, or in the direction of Stafford Springs and Hartwood. One of your telegraph operators can establish a station at Dumfries at once, or immediately on your arrival at Wolf Run Shoals, from which point, or from Fairfax Station, you can communicate with me by telegraph. You will leave strong guards at Fairfax Station, Fairfax Court-House, and at Union Mills, until the arrival of General Slocum ; after which it is hoped that they can be replaced by troops from Washington. Captain Dahlgren will leave to-morrow at 10.45 with special verbal instructions. Please acknowledge the receipt of this, with any suggestion you may have to make. Should you deem it advisable to concentrate your main force at Brentsville instead of Wolf Run Shoals, drawing your supplies from Manassas Junction, you are at liberty to doso. It is expected that your quartermaster and commissary will look out for supplies for your two corps until you join the main army.

A. E. BURNSIDE,