enemy, in which he captured some 23 prisoners, 80 horses, and quite a quantity of pistols, sabers, &c. Among the prisoners captured was Colonel Robinson, formerly of our Army, and son-in-law of Captain Macrae.

I have been thus minute in these details to show you how necessary a regiment of cavalry is to me at this point, and I sincerely hope there will not be a moment's delay in sending me a well-organized regiment.

General Parke has now succeeded in getting on the banks in rear of Fort Macon with the main body of his command and two mortar batteries and one 30-pounder Parrott gun. The enemy's pickets have been driven in and all communication with the garrison from the outside cut off. The enemy's shots thus far have done us but little harm, wounding only 2 men. There are three naval vessels outside co-operating with us, and I hope to reduce the fort within ten days.

The re-enforcements spoken of have arrived, and I have formed the brigades of Generals Foster and Reno into divisions, which now occupy this place and its suburbs. I am building just in rear of the town an inclosed bastioned field work capable of holding 1,000 men and mounting thirty guns, which work will be finished in a few days, after which I propose to build another small four-gun work for two companies to the right of this first work and near the Neuse. These forts completely command the town, and will enable me to leave it with a small force when I move up the country. My advance now on the railroad is at Batchelder's Creek, where we are rebuilding the railroad bridge burned by the enemy, and I have made corresponding advances in the direction of Kinston, on the Neuse and Trent Rivers, which positions have been maintained, with occasional disturbances in the way of picket firing.

On the morning of the 7th some 600 or our men from Roanoke Island were sent to Elizabeth City and succeeded in capturing all the pickets in the neighborhood of that place, amounting to 74 men and 100 stand of arms. Since then the enemy's force has been increased at that point to two regiments and a field battery of four guns. I have organized, in conjunction with Commodore Rowan, an expedition against that place, and if we succeed in capturing or driving the enemy back we shall move up to South Mills and blow up the lock of the canal, and then proceed up to the head of the Currituck Canal and blow in its banks, thus rendering it impossible for the gunboats, which are said to be building at Norfolk, to come into these waters. I hope the expedition will be successful.

The regiments of my original command are much decreased by sickness and casualties in battle, and the recruiting service having been stopped, I shall not be able to fill them up. My command now consists of twenty regiments, one battalion, and a battery, making an aggregate of about 15,000, distributed as follows: Three regiments at Roanoke, a half regiment at Hatteras Inlet, three regiments and a battalion with General Parke and on the road, and thirteen and a half regiments with the battery at this place.

The engines and cars for which we made requisition immediately after the battle have not yet arrived, and as the re-enforcements sent me brought no wagons with them we are absolutely crippled for want of transportation.

I sincerely hope there will be no delay in forwarding me the regiment of cavalry and two batteries of artillery, together with the engines, cars, and wagons already required for.