intended. It was undoubtedly the intention to make a demonstration in this direction, but Wilmington now occupies all the attention of the enemy in this State. The bridges across the Roanoke at Weldon, Gaston, and Danville are all carried away, and the one from Weldon, or a large portion of it, with all the railroad iron upon it, is blocking up the Cashie River near our post of Plymouth. It is said that the bridge at Kinston was taken up to save it from being carried off by the freshet. It is also rumored that Kinston is to be evacuated. I shall loon learn all about this. This extraordinary freshet has somewhat interfered with my expedition to Edwards Ferry. The roads are almost impassible, but the force is still up the Chowan, ready to strike when a favorable time shall arrive. Up to Tuesday last (the 24th) Wilmington was not captured, as I have an officer here who spent that day at Fort Fisher.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

I. N. PALMER,

Brigadier-General.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA,
New Berne, N. C., January 26, 1865.

Lieutenant General U. S. GRANT,

Commanding Armies of the United States, City Point, Va.:

GENERAL: Major Gouraud, of General Foster's staff, has brought me dispatches from General Sherman and Foster. As the major also brought dispatches for you, which are forwarded by Lieutenant Pratt, I have no doubt you will be informed of the substance of General Sherman's instructions to me, which are, generally, to hold on here, watch will the railroad and keep it in order, have every preparation made to secure his supplies from Morehead City when he gets into this state, &c., and he was good enough to give me confidentially his plans for the future. You may rest assured, general, that I shall devote all my energies to these objects, and I shall hope to be of no small aid, in which case I can have it to say that "I, too, was of Sherman's army." I shall probably need some railroad builders, and some more workmen to enlarge the wharf at Morehead City; but of this I shall inform you as soon as I can ascertain precisely what I shall require.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

I. N. PALMER,

Brigadier-General.

HEADQUARTERS NEWPORT BARRACKS, N. C.,
January 26, 1865.

Captain ATWILL,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, Morehead City, N. C.:

SIR: Nine deserters from Company B, Seventeenth North Carolina (Confederate), have just been brought in by my guards. They left Wilmington on Wednesday, the 18th instant. They report Lieutenant-General Anderson commanding the Confederates at that place, and report his command 5,000 infantry, 20 pieces of artillery, and only a small number of cavalry. The 5,000 infantry and the artillery are under the immediate command of General Hoke. When the deserters left Wilmington Hoke was fortified at Sugar Loaf Hill, a distance of