Today in History:

899 Series I Volume XXVII-III Serial 45 - Gettysburg Campaign Part III

Page 899 Chapter XXXIX. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. -CONFEDERATE.

I sent a flag of truce to Plymouth about the prisoners taken by Colonel Evans under a pretended flag, as directed by you. My letter was answered by an assistant adjutant-general, by direction of the "commanding officer, " and marked, "Headquarters District of the Albemarle, Fourth Division, Eighteenth Army Corps. "

The officer who took it down saw four cavalrymen of the Ninetysecond New York Cavalry. There is nothing new here to this hour-11 p. m.

I am, general, yours, respectfully,

J. G. MARTIN,

Brigadier-General.

[P. S.] -No company of the (State) unattached companies has reported at Hamilton. I understand Governor Vance has verbally countermanded the order to Captain [John T.] Elliott`s company in Pasquotank.

There are 26 free negroes at work here.

As you have ordered Captain McRae`s command of conscripts to return to Raleigh, I hope your ordered Colonel [W. F.] Martin`s company to rejoin its regiment or go to Weldon.

How many companies has [S. D.] Pool at Goldsborough, and how many has Jackson?

Pool must have been very recently moved to Goldsborough. I have had no notice of his being there.

FORT BRANCH, NEAR HAMILTON, N. C., June 16, 1863.

Major General D. H. HILL,

Commanding, &c., Petersburg, Va.:

GENERAL: Yours of 15th received. The four field pieces have arrived and are mounted. You would have been notified, but I was informed by the messenger that you would be here in a day or two, and have been expecting you ever since. Captain [H. N.] Ells has not arrived. None of the unattached companies have reported. From information received, my impression is that most of the companies-in fact, all raised by order of the Governor in the counties of Washington, Beaufort, and Hyde-have, with the prospect of getting into real service, disbanded.

Captains Spencer and Livinale [?], one from Beaufort and the other from Hyde, were here a week ago, and informed me that they could not get their companies out of the lines; at any rate, not at this time. They hoped to do so after the crops were laid by.

I am in communication with Major [C. J.] Wright by a line of couriers (cavalry). I learn the cavalry may possibly soon be removed, and to this end am endeavoring to get boys, as also men, from the regiment who can mount themselves, but there is much difficulty about horses and saddles.

The commissary has in the fort a month`s supply of bacon, and nearly of flour; meal will not keep. He thinks he will be able to keep that much ahead most of the time.

I have had one well dug, which yields very abundantly, and the engineer thought that was sufficient. There are no wooden houses of any kind in the fort. Am getting all the brush around the fort that


Page 899 Chapter XXXIX. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. -CONFEDERATE.