OPERATIONS IN N. C. AND S. E. VA. [CHAP.XIII.

7th. Colonel Howell Cobb's regiment, Sixteenth Georgia, not yet come.

8th. Four more regiments, if possible.

The six 32-pounders are the most essential. Without them the enemy will at his leisure dismount our guns and pass up to within forty miles of Richmond, in our sight, without our being able to raise a hand to prevent it, thus turning all the works on James River and those in front of Williamsburg.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. BANKHEAD MAGRUDER, Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Since writing the above I have received a letter from Richmond stating that two 32-pounder rifled guns will be sent here and four 24-pounder rifled guns, the former by the Navy Department, the latter by Colonel Gorgas; also that one 8-inch rifled columbiad, now being finished at the Tredegar Works, may possibly be procured. If the Secretary will order the latter in addition to the two 32-pounders rifled, and four 24-pounder rifled, and the proper ammunition , and in sufficient quantity, to be sent here, I think I can insure the safety of Yorktwon. The men, furnaces, gun-carriages, &c., asked for can be furnished, I presume, with less difficulty.

J. B. M.

(Duplicate to Secretary of War.)

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE PENINSULA, Yorktown, Va., October 8, 1861.

General S. COOPER, Adjutant and Inspector General C. S. Army, Richmond, Va.:

SIR: Colonel Howell Cobb's regiment has not yet arrived, and I understand is still detained in Richmond for want of arms. I beg that they may be furnished, as I am in great need of the service of that regiment. There are but about 9,500 non-commissioned officers and men for duty in this department, with seven posts to garrison, and the enemy to be met inthe field besides. The artillery companies, asked for yesterday and some time since, are for this post. In addition to these 250 artillerists, I require the following artillery companies to man the batteries already constructed or being constructed, viz: Williamsburg, three; Mulberry Point, one; Young's farm, one; Ship Point, one; and Back River, one. As these companies do not require arms, I suppose they can be railed and dispatched at once. I have directed a copy of this letter to be sent to Governor Letcher, who may furnish some of them. Colonel T. R. R. Cobb informs me that the artillery company which belongs to it, and return to his Legion of the artillery company which belongs to it, and which is now, I believe, with General Lee. In view of the large preparations now being made at Fort Monroe for field artillery, I have the honor to request that this may be done as soon as possible.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. BANKHEAD MAGRUDER, Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE PENINSULA, Yorktown, Va. October 8, 1861.

Colonel GORGAS, Chief of Ordnance, Richmond, Va.:

COLONEL: There is a great defect about our shells and spherical-case shot for field pieces. They explode (about one-half of them) at