12 miles from Elizabeth City, and Mr. G. W. Brooks, residing ont he Body road, so called, near Nixonton, hearing that Union troops occupied the city, came in purposely to represent the state of feeling in and about the neighborhood. These gentlemen are among the most influential in that section of the country. They took upon themselves the no small personal risk of coming openly to town and conferring with the commander of the Union troops, and furnished to me a list of all loyal citizens in their section, a list of rebel sympathizers and aiders and abettors of the guerrillas, and a list, so far as their knowledge extended, of the guerrilla gang under the command of Elliott, having its headquarters in the swamp near Parkville. These several lists I have the honor to transmit.*

These gentlemen, with others, incurred much risk from these same guerrillas and their sympathizers, both to life and property, in producing these facts. Emissaries of these outlaws are everywhere watching doubtful men, and in the absence of Union troops they roam the country freely, threatening with fire and sword all who do not aid and encourage them. The loyal men of this section desire particularly that it shall be represented to the general commanding how much might be gained to the Union cause by occupying that portion of North Carolina east of Chowan River, which is really considered the boundary line, and sending beyond our lines all those persons who are guilty of aiding the bushwhackers. In such an event, they say the reign of terror now prevailing would be speedily stopped and no guerrilla would dare to show himself east of the Chowan.

Running short of rations here, I foraged my troops upon the plantations of Major Bell and James Scott, on the Body road, well-known rebels, the last named having a son lately sworn into the guerrillas, and who left for the bush the morning that our transports were moving up the river.

In obedience to orders previously received, I drew in my pickets at 7 p.m. on the 14th, and at 9 p.m. sailed for Edenton, near the mouth of the Chowan River.

At 1 a.m. on the 15th, lost overboard from the upper deck of the Jersey Blue, Private C. H. Wheeler, of Company I, Twenty-third Massachusetts, belonging to my command, whose death I attributed to the very meager accommodations assigned to my command. My command were obliged to sleep for six nights on the upper deck of a steamer, around which was no rail sufficient to keep a man from falling overboard. All the space between decks was occupied by cavalry horses.

At 9 a.m. on the 15th, landed at Edenton and relieved a detachment of various regiments from Plymouth, N. C., consisting of 9 commissioned officers and 100 men, the whole being under the command of Lieutenant Beegle, of Brigadier-General Wessells' staff. Threw out pickets on all the roads leading from the town, and awaited news of our cavalry and artillery.

Was obliged to put guards on many private houses, and to send out three separate patrols for the several quarters of the town, in order to arrest the pillage which was commenced by men employed in all capacities on board government transports and schooners as soon as the vessels reached the landing. This plundering was indiscriminate as to friend or foe, and had obtained progress before I

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*Omitted.

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