CHAP. XIII.] CORRESPONDENCE ETC.-CONFEDERATE.

until naval officer could be sent to relieve him. When in Richmond, ten days ago, I was informed that Lieutenant Fauntleroy, of the C. S. Navy, had been ordered to report to me at Yorktown, to fill Captain Henderson's place. He has not yet arrived, and I am much in need of his services. About the same time I ordered Major Randolph to report to the Navy Department the utter worthlessness of the carriages in this battery. He informed me that the Navy Department had immediately ordered every barbette carriage for these guns (8-inch columbiads, six in number), and that they would be furnished-probably one a week. I have not heard of the arrival of any as yet. Please do me the favor to let me know when to expect them. They are of the first importance, indeed, and absolutely essential to the successful defense of the mouth of York River. Please address me at Yorktown.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. B. MAGRUDER, Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HDQRS. THIRD REGIMENT GEORGIA VOLUNTEERS, Camp Georgia, Roanoke Island, September 11, 1861.

Brigadier General B. HUGER:

GENERAL: The two wagons and four mules sent down by the quartermaster from Portsmouth arrived here last evening. I shall for the present endeavor to get along without the wagons, and I am to-day getting two howitzers, 12 and 24 pounders, which we brought down from the navy-yard, moved down by the mules to a point 5 miles below here, to protect us from a landing in our rear. I shall use the front wheels and axles of the wagons for limbers for these pieces, and think I shall get a pretty good battery flight artillery fixed up during the day. I have a 24-pounder brass field piece which is so heavy that with the teams sent I cannot handle it. I propose to place it his morning at Weir Point to operate upon the channel there until we get the battery completed. If I could get horses and harness for this piece, it would be much more effective placed on the lower end of the island. If possible these horses and harness should be sent at once. The battery at pork Point is now ready to give the Hessians a warm reception.

The work on the Weir Point battery is under way, and shall be pushed as rapidly as possible. I need not call your attention to the fact that the force on this island is entirely inadequate to the proper defense of this point. I shall do all that man can do, but feel very much crippled for want of men. The North Carolina companies here are completely disorganized and demoralized. I can hope nothing from them.

Since commencing this letter I have received a communication from Edenton offering to furnish horses for artillery service, and also offering a small company of cavalry for vedettes on the island. I have no doubt I can get horses here cheaper than they could be bought in Norfolk, but I shall take no action in the matter until I hear from you. The citizens of the surrounding country have been very kind and obliging to us, ministering largely to our wants, and are still anxious to do more. I have some 200 negro laborers, and could easily increase the number to double that amount, but think that, with my own men and what we now have, we can get along for the present. We have some sickness among the men-bilious fever-but no cases as yet of a very serious character. I am, respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. R. WRIGHT.