To Schenck From Halleck Jan 5 to June 15 1863

              Extract 
               Washington, D.C.	Janu. 5th, 63 
General Schenck, 
	Baltimore 
	No attempt should be made to hold  
Winchester against a large force of the enemy, but use  
it simply as an outpost as advised in our conversa- 
tion a day or two ago.  Isolated posts and columns are too  
liable to be cut off. 
	X	X	X	X	X 
	Signed H. W. Halleck 
	Genl-in-Chief 
 
                Washington D.C.	March 16th, 63 
Major Genl. Schenck, 
	Baltimore 
	All troops in Western Virginia  
will be ordered to your command.  The B&O Railroad Company  
represent that their road about Harpers Ferry is unsafe under Genl.  
Milroy.  Can you not put a more competent officer in his place? 
	I must again call your attention to the importance of  
constructing block-houses for the defense of railroad bridges. 
	Signed H. W. Halleck 
	Genl-in-Chief