WILMINGTON, April 3, 1865-11. 20 a. m.

Lieutenant Colonel J. A. CAMPBELL,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

The ordered were received at 9. 30 this morning. The batteries have not left yet. I will report the moment they start. I think that some light battery will be needed here.

J. R. HAWLEY,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF WILMINGTON,
Wilmington, N. C., April 3, 1865.

Lieutenant Colonel J. A. CAMPBELL,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Department of North Carolina:

SIR: I have the honor to acnowledge the receipt, at 9. 30 a m. yesterday, of your communication of March 24, in which the major-gneeral commandingk directs me to report the number who have taken the oath, the number sent beyond the lines or tried by military commission, and generally as to carrying out General Orders, Numbers 8 and particularly Section V. I regret exceedingly that the dispatch, as well as others of the same date, ordering off two batteries, should have been so much dealayed. The orders to the batteries were instantly attended to, and the other dispatch wuld have been answered yesterday had I not at the moment of receiving it been starting down the river (for the first time since I have been in command) with Doctors Hand and Cuyler, to examine sites for a hospital.

First, the number that have taken the oath of allgiance: Lieutenant-Colonel Jordan, One hundred and Fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, before leaving reported that he had administered the oath to 131; Lieutenant Colonel J. F. Randlett, my assistant provost-marshal at this post, had administred the oath to deserters, 337; to citizens and refugees, 1,366; Captain Sheppard, assistant provost-marshal, Smithwille, 230; Major Prince, assistant provost-marshal at Fort Fisher, 18; total, 2,082. When it is considered that so large a proportion of the male population was sent away or forced away by the rebels, it is evident that a very great majority of the males above twenty-one have tkane the oath. The trouble has been not to induce them to do it, but to resist the pressure, that there might be a little opportunity to discriminate and avoid being imposed upon. Moreover, I have not desired to press any person to do it. It is desirable to have it done "cheerfully and voluntarily" by those only who "desire in good faith to aid in restoring the national authority. " At the same time careful attention has been paid to the President's amnesty proclamation, as directed in Order Numbers 8, just quoted; so that it is not by any means decisive against a man that he has been actively engaged in the rebellion, if he satisfy us in accordance with the order. There may be two or three instances in which we have been deceived. I have my eye on two men, one of whonm formerly a Confederate officer but for a year out of the service, remarked privately to a friend that he did not consider the oath as binding any longer than the Federal troops occupied the place. If I can make sure that such is his spirit I shall put him under arrest. Can I send such a man North to be confined as a State prisoner? He ought not to be sent over the lines to help the rebels, though his health is feeble.

Second, sending over the lines or trying by military commission: There are five or six whom I shall very soon send over the lines; that is, set outside my pickets on the Brunswick side, for there is no Con-