RALEIGH, N. C., March 17, 1865 - 4 p. m.

Major E. WILLIS,

Chief Quartermaster, Salisbury, N. C.:

Send forward troops, artillery, and wagons rapidly as possible, sending horses along railroad, to be taken up on cars whenever practicable.

G. T. BEAUREGARD.

RALEIGH, N. C., March 17, 1865 - 7. 30 p. m.

Major E. WILLIS,

Chief Quartermaster, Salisbury, N. C.:

Stop all artillery without horses at Greensborough. Send on all artillery horses.

G. T. BEAUREGARD.

Abstract from field return of Hoke's division for March 17, 1865. (a)

Present for duty.

Command. Officers. Men. Effective Aggregat

total e

present. present.

Staff. 14 . . . . . . 14

Hagood's brigade. 79 890 949 1,110

Nethercutt's 92 1,121 1,135 1,261

brigade (Junior

Reserves).

Kirkland's 77 957 1,016 1,124

brigade.

Colquitt's 114 1,052 1,118 1,300

brigade.

Clingman's 49 536 557 638

brigade.

Light artillery 32 657 782 842

battalion.

Grand total. 457 5,231 5,557 6,289

Pieces for artillery.

Command. Aggregate Heavy. Field.

present

and

absent.

Staff. 15 . . . . . .

Hagood's brigade. 4,799 . . . . . .

Nethercutt's 2,848 . . . . . .

brigade (Junior

Reserves).

Kirkland's 2,553 . . . . . .

brigade.

Colquitt's 2,595 . . . . . .

brigade.

Clingman's 2,771 . . . . . .

brigade.

Light artillery 1,059 . . . 41

battalion.

Grand total. 16,640 . . . 41

a Colonel Whitford's command of the Sixty-seventh and Sixty-eighth North Carolina Regiments now belong to Hoke's division, but being at Goldsborough only an approximates estimate of the force can be given. The Sixth North Carolina Cavalry is also at Goldsborough and Kinston. The Second South Carolina Cavalry is now moving to Goldsborough. We have no report from the cavalry. The Fifty-sixth North Carolina Regiment, Kirkland's brigade, and Tenth North Carolina Battalion are with General Hardee. Sixty-seventh North Carolina Regiment, about 700; Sixty-eighth North Carolina Regiment, about 300; total, 1,000.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF NORTH CAROLINA,
Smithfield, March 17, 1865.

Colonel T. J. LIPSCOMB, Goldsborough:

COLONEL: Your dispatch of 16th instant per courier is received, saying that you will move at daylight this morning to the Goldsborough front as ordered. You will observe that the numerous applications from your regiment for furloughs to dismounted men are returned disapproved. There is an act of Congress, not yet published, rpviding for all cavalry horses to be turned over to the Government at valuation, and the men to be afterward kept mounted at public expense. I am almost sure there is such a law recently passed, though it is not yet promulgated in orders. You were authorized from this place a few days aho to cause impressments to be made to the Fayetteville front under certain restrictions. The authority is renewed wherever you may be, under same restrictions. It has also been granted to your quartermaster as to mules for your train, by indorsement upon his