ately. These refugees were picked up by the U. S. gun-boat Whitehead, and report that General Wessells' loss was about 400, while that of the enemy was not less than 1,500 killed and wounded. General Wessells was safe, as he and his adjutant-general, Captain Stewart, were seen together. All the prisoners were sent off, except General Wessells and staff, who were paroled to the extent of the limits of Plymouth. It is reported that a reconnaissance has been made by the enemy of the river above this place. The enemy's force was estimated at 12,000.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN J. PECK,

Major-General.

Major-General BUTLER,

Commanding Dept. of Va. and N. C., Fort Monroe, Va.

P. S. - These refugees also report that General Wessells was several times summoned to surrender. The last time he sent the rebel commander word that he would surrender if the negroes and North Carolina soldiers would be treated as "prisoners of war. " this was refused.

HDQRS. ARMY AND DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA,
New Berne, N. C., April 25, 1864.

GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following report upon the loss of Plymouth, which is as full as it can be until General Wessells is able to make his reports, when I will make a supplementary one:

On the 20th, at 7 p. m., I received your communication of the 17th in reply to the letter of General Wessells of the 13th, asking for re-enforcements. As this letter must have reached your headquarters in the evening of the 14th or early on the 15th, a reply could have reached me on the 16th in time to have communicated with General Wessells during the evening or night of the 17th. Unfortunately the reply was not written until the 17th, and did not arrive on the 20th until some hours after the fall of Plymouth.

You replied, viz:

You will have to defend the district with your present force, and you will make such dispositions of them as will in your judgment best subserve this end.

General Wessells sent his communication direct to your headquarters to save time, expecting that any aid which might be sent would come from Virginia and not North Carolina. He sent a duplicate to me with a letter expressing the above views, knowing the reduced state of the force at my disposal.

He writes, viz:

I have no idea of getting any troops, but have always been anxious to see more troops in North Carolina.

Notwithstanding this expression of his sentiments, I had a conference with General Palmer and Commander Davenport, U. S. Navy, and the Navy, and the heavy gun-boat Tacony, which is equal to two or three regiments, was immediately dispatched to Plymouth.

On the 18th instant the Tacony arrived back from Plymouth, with dispatches from General Wessells and Commander Flusser,