The gaps through the Blue Ridge I understand to be about the following distances from Harper’s Ferry, to wit:  Vestal’s, 5 miles; Gregory’s, 13; Snicker’s, 18; Ashby’s, 28; Manassas, 38; Chester, 45; and Thornton’s, 53.  I should think it preferable to take the route nearest the enemy, disabling him to make an important move without your knowledge, and compelling him to keep his forces together for dread of you.  The gaps would enable you to attack if you should wish.  For a great part of the way you would be practically between the enemy and both Washington and Richmond, enabling us to spare you the greatest number of troops from here.  When at length running for Richmond ahead of him enables him to move this way, if he does so, turn and attack him in rear.  But I think he should be engaged long before such a point is reached.  It is all easy if our troops march as well as the enemy, and it is unmanly to say they cannot do it.  This letter is in no sense an order.

Yours truly,

A. Lincoln.

TELEGRAM TO GOVERNOR PIERPOINT.

War department, Washington city, D. C.,
October 16, 1862.

Governor Pierpoint, Wheeling, Virginia: 

Your despatch of to-day received.  I am very sorry to have offended you.  I appointed the collector, as I thought, on your written recommendation, and the assessor also with your testimony of worthiness, although I know you preferred a different man.  I will examine to-morrow whether I am mistaken in this.

A. Lincoln.

EXECUTIVE ORDER ESTABLISHING A PROVISIONAL COURT IN LOUISIANA.

Executive Mansion, Washington city,

October 20, 1862.

The insurrection which has for some time prevailed in several of the States of this Union, including Louisiana, having temporarily subverted and swept away the civil institutions of that State, including the judiciary and the judicial authorities of the Union, so that it has become necessary to hold the State in military Occupation, and it being indispensably necessary that there shall be some judicial tribunal existing there capable of administering justice, I have therefore thought it proper to appoint, and I do hereby constitute, a provisional court, which shall be a court of record, for the State of Louisiana; and I do hereby appoint Charles A Peabody, of New York, to be a provisional judge to hold said court, with authority to hear, try, and determine all causes, civil and criminal, including causes in law, equity, revenue, and admiralty, and particularly all such powers and jurisdiction as belong to the district and circuit courts of the United States, conforming his proceedings so far as possible to the course of proceedings and practice which has been customary in the courts of the United States and Louisiana,