to appeal to your excellency for aid, and to ask you as Governor of North Carolina to call on the patriotic citizens in the neighboring counties, and elsewhere, to sent a portion of their hands, say onefifth of the negroes (male), to the city of Wilmington, to be employed under the command of General Whiting, on the fortifications. What we do for the safety of your principal sea-port should be done quickly, and if possible before our bitter foes meet with further successes at Charleston or elsewhere. Should any military organization be required for the collection of the requisite number of negroes, at least 1,000, General Whiting can furnish the force. He will be directed to confer with you on this point.

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

J. F. GILMER,

Colonel of Engineers, and Chief of Bureau.

Abstract from field return of the Army of Northern Virginia, General Robert E. Lee, C. S. Army, commanding, for August 10, 1863; headquarters Orange Court-House.

Present for duty.

Command. Officers Men. Aggregate

present.

General staff....... 16 ......... 16

First Army Corps

(Longstreet):

Headquarters............... 10 ......... 10

McLaws' division........... 487 4,861 6,298

Pickett's division......... 355 3,611 4,839

Hood's division............ 509 5,087 6,612

Total First Army Corps...... 1,361 13,559 17,759

Second Army Corps (Ewell):

Headquarters.............. 18 ....... 18

Rodes' division............ 495 5,420 6,990

Early's division.......... 501 5,006 6,367

Johnson's division......... 482 3,996 5,253

Total Second Army Corps..... 1,496 14,422 18,628

Third Army Corps (A. P.

Hill):

Headquarters.............. 17 ......... 17

Anderson's division......... 495 4,999 6,543

Heath's division........... 276 3,378 4,206

Pender's division.......... 431 4,021 4,978

Total Third Army Corps....... 1,219 12,398 15,744

Cavalry (Stuart) a.......... 634 8,404 10,210

Artillery (Pendleton):

First Army Corps............ 99 1,760 2,025

Second Army Corps.......... 94 1,440 1,733

Third Army Corps........... 84 1,680 1,989

Total artillery b........... 277 4,880 5,747

Grand total................. 5,008 53,663 68,104

Command. Aggregate Aggregate

present and present last

absent. field return.

General staff....... 16 17

First Army Corps

(Longstreet):

Headquarters............... 12 10

McLaws' division........... 12,201 5,999

Pickett's division......... 11,373 4,591

Hood's division............ 11,758 6,386

Total First Army Corps...... 35,344 16,986

Second Army Corps (Ewell):

Headquarters.............. 20 18

Rodes' division............ 15,159 6,207

Early's division.......... 12,899 5,477

Johnson's division......... 12,297 4,650

Total Second Army Corps..... 40,375 16,352

Third Army Corps (A. P.

Hill):

Headquarters.............. 17 16

Anderson's division......... 12,962 6,159

Heath's division........... 8,234 3,957

Pender's division.......... 11,690 4,592

Total Third Army Corps....... 32,903 14,724

Cavalry (Stuart) a.......... 19,354 .............

Artillery (Pendleton):

First Army Corps............ 2,886 1,996

Second Army Corps.......... 2,675 1,704

Third Army Corps........... 2,764 1,832

Total artillery b........... 8,325 5,532

Grand total................. 136,317 53,611

a Aggregate present last field return not reported on original return. A note on above return states that some of the enlisted men reported present for duty are dismounted, but the number is not given.

b Guns not reported on original, but see statement following.