General Peck informs me that Colonel McChesney writes from Little Washington that a portion of his North Carolina regiment is demoralized; that he not only has no confidence in them, but that he fears they will desert to the enemy.

If a stampede has taken place among these North Carolinians it is silly and shameful, for there is no necessity for it. "Honore general nobilissime!" Let us speak plainly and understand each other. I have but little confidence in these North Carolina troops when they are menaced by a very superior force. They recollect the fate of those recently hanged at Kinston, and the wives, sisters, and children of those victims haunt us daily. It becomes matter for some thought as to the best disposition to be made of them. The immense number of women and children with these troops is what perplexes us, for these must be provided for.

Some hundreds of refugees, poor people from Plymouth and vicinity, are to be here to-day. These will cause no little embarrassment, but they must be provided for, and I will endeavor to see that they do not suffer.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

I. N. PALMER,

Brigadier-General.

P. S.-I have tolerable information that the ram, from Kinston, has moved down the river to a point some 10 miles below Kinston.

HEADQUARTERS SUB-DISTRICT OF NEW BERNE,
New Berne, N. C., April 23, 1864.

Captain J. R. SHAFFER,

Aide-de-Camp:

CAPTAIN: Your hasty note of this morning is received. General Peck was to have turned over the command of the district of North Carolina to me to-day. For reasons best known to himself he has concluded not to do so, until he can hear further from Major-General Butler. I have, however, shown him your note, and he has requested me to write to you to request General Graham to send one or two of the army gun-boats here.

The rebel ram built on the Neuse River is reported not many miles from us. We have blockaded the river as far as we possibly could, and the work upon the blockade is still progressing. This blockade must be carefully watched, and one or two light-draught gun-boats ought to be able to prevent anything like the surprise that was made at Plymouth.

The situation at Plymouth is thus: The army gun-boat Bombshell is sunk at the dock at Plymouth, and it is presumed she can be easily raised by the rebels. They, of course, have an abundance of guns to place upon her, and they can use her, when so raised, for offensive operations against us. It is my opinion that one of General Graham's gun-boats could be very usefully employed in co-operating with the heavy gun-boats now at the mouth of the Roanoke in watching the rebels and in obtaining information of various sorts. I do not think the ram on the Roanoke can get out of that river into the sounds if ordinary vigilance is exercised, and if we can harass the rebels and prevent them from raising the bombshell or get-