Upon assuming command of the detachment, in obedience to these orders, I found serving within the department limits six signal officers, exclusive of myself, three acting signal officers, and ninety enlisted men, twenty-three of whom were detailed from volunteer organizations. There were then, without the department limits, belonging to the detachment, and waiting transportation from the North and West, four signal officers, three acting signal officers, and thirty-five enlisted men. To recapitulate: Within the department limits-total commissioned, including myself, 10; total enlisted, 90. Without the department limits-total commissioned, 7; total enlisted, 37. Total commissioned, present and absent, 17; total enlisted, 127. Aggregate, 144. The force then serving within the department limits was comprised in three small detachments stationed as follows: One, commanded by First Lieutenant Joseph B. Knox, Signal Corps, U. S. Army, consisting of four officers and fifty-two enlisted men, at headquarters District of North Carolina, New Berne, N. C., Brigadier General I. N. Palmer, U. S. Volunteers, commanding. The second, commanded by Second Lieutenant F. E. Beardslee, Signal Corps, U. S. Army, consisting of three officers and twenty-five enlisted men, at Federal Point, N. C., Major General A. H. Terry commanding. A third, commanded by Second Lieutenant E. A. Briggs, Signal Corps, U. S. Army, consisting of two officers and thirteen enlisted men, at department headquarters and at Smithville, N. C. The detachments commanded by Lieutenants Knox and Beardslee were formerly of the Department of Virginia and North Carolina and the Army of the James, respectively. The third was a fraction of the signal detachment of the Department of the Ohio. The action of the several parties was inharmonious; their method of operation essentially different in details. The two former were reasonably efficient as individual commands, but worked with embarrassment when in combination with others. In the latter detachment the material for effective service was not wanting if properly directed. Its officers were all in some degree experienced and its enlisted men intelligent. Both, however, were dispirited and demoralized from long gambits of lax discipline and inadequate instruction. These impressions conceived at the outset have been confirmed and established by subsequent experience. At the date of my assignment to duty, the troops in the department were mainly operating against the defenses of Wilmington. In this press of active campaign there was neither time nor occasion to assort ant harmonize the discordant elements of the command. I could but make the best of the materials I found and distribute them to such advantage and effect as emergency and circumstance should demand or permit. The entire means of transportation allowed the detachment employed in the Wilmington campaign consisted of but seven horses scarcely serviceable, hence the opening of lines of communication and the occupation of points eligible for signal stations were much impeded and deferred; nor was this [the only] ground for complaint. If the detachment could not operate with the advantages of complete equipment and ample transportation it suffered in common with all the expedition. All was done for it that could be done and if it did not accomplish all that I desired, it did better service than I had reason to expect. But for the anticipated arrival of the remainder of the signal detachment, Department of the Ohio, with the equipments and means of transportation belonging to the party (then several days overdue) attempts would have been made to supply the deficiencies of