***** The roads between Centerville and Manassas are very bad indeed, and it is with great difficulty the provision wagons can be driven over them. It the army remains east of Bull Run some better route will have to be opened to transports, or the men will suffer for commissary stores. The road by Blackburn's ford is very poor the greater portion of the way, and hundreds of men are constantly employed in repairing it. With all the trouble it improves but little, and waggoners begin to dread the trip for fear of accidents to wagons or horses. The bridge across Mitchell's ford has been carried away and the ford is dangerous. If half the labor expended on the two roads had been put upon one, it would have been much better. I learn that the intention is to build a railroad from Gainsville, on the Manassas Gap road, thus avoiding the Bull Run heights. That route would make the distance between Manassas and Centreville about eighteen miles. Such a road would be not only a matter of great convenience, but it would seem almost a necessity at the present time. *****