Unknown to R. B. Maroy, September 12, 1861

Chief of Staff to General McClellan, Washington, D. C.:

SIR: Major-General Banks directs me to ask if there is any possibility of his obtaining any more artillery and cavalry for his division. He instructs me to say that he has now but eight effective pieces of artillery. –

Captain Best has six pieces, but two of them are non-effective, for want of men. His pieces are smooth bore, and, therefore, not so good for preventing a passage over a river of such width as the Potomac. BeSides, the guns of the enemy are rifled, and by their long range our smooth-bore guns could be easily driven from the banks of the river or their vicinity. After to-day we shall have but two companies of cavalry, and they irregular. It is not possible for this command, called upon to prevent an enemy from crossing the Potomac for a distance of over 50 miles, to do so in its present condition. The enemy can easily cross, and even have time to erect breastworks and batteries to cover his passage in any force he may wish, before we could even fire a gun against him from the main body of the division. The nearest point of the Potomae from this position is about 4 miles. It would take us at least an hour and a half to reach that point in force sufficient to oppose a passage with any hopes of suecess. Should we immediately send our artillery and cavalry, from the nature of the country, wooded and hilly,

. it would only be to lose them. “The fords and ferries in our vicinity are

from 8 to 15 miles distant, and the same reasons would hold with much more force. :

Very respectfully, your obedient servant RÓBT. WILLIAMS,