HDQRS. THIRD DIVISION, TWENTY-THIRD ARMY CORPS,
Smithville, N. C., February 16, 1865.

Major J. A. CAMPBELL,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

SIR: I find no rations are here yet, and it may be late before they get here. In that case I suppose it will be the commanding general's desire that we supply ourselves before starting to-morro. Please inform me if it is otherwise. If we go round Fort Anderson the road will take us to the left immediately after leaving town, and it will be out of the way to go to Reeves' Point.

Very respectfully,

J. D. COX,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF NORTH CAROLINA,
ARMY OF THE OHIO,

Federal Point, N. C., February 16, 1865.

Major General J. D. COX,

Commanding Third Division, Twenty-third Army Corps:

GENERAL: Your note of this date is just received. Rations are on the way to Smithville, and the commanding general desires you to supply your command with rations before you start, but to go to Fort Anderson to-morrow as previously ordered.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. A. CAMPBELL,

Major and Assistant Adjutant-General.

CITY POINT, VA., February 17, 1865.

Honorable E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War:

The Richmond Examiner of War:

A dispatch received at the Treasury Department from one of its agents in Columbia reports the local forces there under arms, and that some skirmishing had taken place with the enemy in the vicinity of the town. It is not stated that the enemy was in considerable force there, and something may be allowed for exaggeration and alarm. We have from a gentlemen who left Columbia as late as Tuesday last, and who arrived here last night, some interesting news from the military situation there. From this source we have confirmation of a fight on the 11th instant between Wheeler and Kilpatrick, near Aiken. It appears that General Wheeler, after enticing him [from] behind his intrenchments, charged with his whole command and routed the enemy with confusion, driving him back a distance of about five miles. Ammunition giving out it was impossible for our men to push Kilpatrick farther, and the contest there ceased. We took a considerable number of prisoners, among whom were a portion of the Thirty-third Massachusetts Regiment.

The force of the enemy which had taken Orangeburg was said to be about 12,000 strong.

HOUSE OF DELEGATES.

Mr. Anderson, from Committee on Military Affairs, made the following report:

"The General Assembly of Virginia, impressed with the importance of calling into active service the whole physical strength of the Confederate States in this momentous crisis, and it being the opinion of the highest military authority that the efficiency of our army may be greatly incresed by the enlistment of negroes: Therefore,

"Resolved by the General Assembly, That the Confederate States is authorized, and the consent of this State is hereby given, to enlist such number of able-bodied slaves for military service as may be deemed necessary upon such terms and under such limitations as may be agreed upon between the Confederate Government and the owners of such slaves. "

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.