hold North Carolina with your present force. The commanding general suggests that you send to General Wessells at once a sufficient number of troops from New Berne to enable him to hold his present position against any force likely to attack him. While it is always best to be prepared, yet the commanding general believes the force of the enemy to be greatly overestimated. Admiral Lee has been furnished with a copy of General Wessell's letter, and requested to send one or more boats to co-operate with him. You will have to defend the district with your present force, and you will make such disposition of them as will in your judgment best subserve this end.

I have the honor to remain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. W. SHAFFER,

Colonel and Chief of Staff.

HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA,
Fort Monroe, April 17, 1864.

Brigadier General JOHN W. TURNER,

Chief of Staff, Department of the South:

GENERAL: Your letter of the 15th instant received. I have required for 20,000 shelter-tents for your corps; also arranged for ammunition and small-arms. I had made arrangements to supply you with what land transportation and ambulances you would be short of. I would recommend that you bring with you the four or six guns that you say you have no more horses for, and I will endeavor to supply you with horses here. As fast as troops arrive I send them to yorktown, where it is intended to rendezvous your command. Please see to it that all light-draught transportation is sent up. Cavalry horses are very scarce; bring with you all that are fit for service.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. W. SHAFFER,

Colonel and Chief of Staff.

CULPEPER, VA., April 18, 1864.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War, Washington, D. C.:

Your note of this date, inclosing copy of Mr. Geoffrey's note to the honorable Secretary of State, together with the reply he proposes to make, is just received. It is rather embarrassing to know how to answer, because to refuse to allow the French to go on bringing out their tobacco would indicate that we expect to use the line of the James River; to permit a continuance will give the enemy information of the very day we make any move from Fort Monroe. Altogether I think it would be better to say that the time expiring on the 23rd instant for French vessels bringing out tobacco, they will be allowed until that time and no longer, until new stipulations ar entered into, and which will not be entertained until after the spring campaign is over, or at least shall grant no privileges to enter rebel ports until such campaign is closed. This I give simply as my view. Any other arrangement entered into, with the sanction of the President, of course I shall not oppose.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.