This place is considered the most important of any place on the sounds of North Carolina, and a moderately respectable force should remain here to protect it. The force now here can hardly be called sufficient, and I certainly could not advise any further depletion here. Until the rebel ram at Plymouth is put hors de service all the troops that we might place on steamers for the relief of that place will be, in my opinion, useless.

Present for duty.

17th Massachusetts Volunteers, provost guard, aggregate.......169

19th Wisconsin Volunteers, aggregate..........................288

5th Rhode Island Artillery, aggregate.........................303

2nd Massachusetts Heavy Artillery, aggregate...................177

1st U. S. Colored Troops (five companies),aggregate...........400

158th New York Volunteers (five companies), aggregate.........277

25th U. S. Colored Troops (Colonel Scroggs)...................250

99th New York Volunteers...................................... 64

132nd New York Volunteers, outposts............................436

158th New York Volunteers, (five companies)...................249

12th New York Cavalry, outposts...............................389

99th New York Volunteers, outposts............................ 60

92nd New York Volunteers, at Forts Anderson and Chase..........251

3rd New York Light Artillery...................................537

Of the Nineteenth Wisconsin Volunteers, there is one company at Evans' Mills, one company at Brice's Creek, one company at Fort Gaston, one company at Ford Spinola, balance in camp.

Of the Fifth Rhode Island Artillery, one company at Fort Stevenson, one company at Fort Rowan, two companies at Fort Totten, one company at Fort Gaston, one company at Fort Amory, one company at Fort Spinola.

Of the Second Massachusetts Volunteer Artillery, two companies at Fort Totten.

Of the Ninety-second New York Volunteers, nine companies at Fort Anderson, one company at Battery Chase.

Of the Ninety-ninth New York Volunteers, at Fort Union, 30 men; at Fort Stevenson, one company.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant.

I. N. PALMER,

Brigadier-General.

HDQRS. ARMY AND DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA,
New Berne, N. C., April 20, 1864.

Colonel RIPLEY,

Commanding Sub-district, &c., Morehead:

We are threatened by the enemy and my forces are inadequate to guard the State of North Carolina. Plymouth is besieged and General Wessells needs help. Under such circumstances it is my duty to take any that comes to hand, until the crisis is passed. My order is his protection against all parties for any delay. In all probability one, two, or three days' detention will suffice. I had supposed that Colonel Scroggs would gladly come to the rescue of the cause of the country. If he declines you will place him in arrest and send he next officer in rank with the command to New Berne for temporary duty.

JOHN J. PECK,

Major-General.