HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA,
Fort Monroe, April 24, 1864.

Brigadier General C. K. GRAHAM,

Commanding Army Gun-boats:

GENERAL: You have learned, of course, before this that Plymouth has fallen. The naval boats have been dispatched, which are supposed to be sufficient to hold the Pamlico Sound. If you have not before the receipt of this destroyed the ram, I think your services will be of more use in another direction. You will therefore return, so as to be here ready for duty on the 30th. Order back the Twenty-fifth Massachusetts on board the Reno and Burnside. Lieutenant Commander Melancton Smith has been ordered in command of the naval force in the south. See to it, if you get this dispatch before you leave, that the Twenty-fifth Regiment is on its way back.

BENJ. F. BUTLER,

Major-General, Commanding.

HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA,
Fort Monroe, April 24, 1864.

Brigadier-General PALMER,

Commanding District of North Carolina, New Berne, N. C.:

GENERAL: I have your dispatch of the 22nd, 10 p.m., announcing the loss of Plymouth.* I had hoped better things. It is not right, however, to judge an officer without hearing, and I wait to hear General Wessells' report. Still, it seems to me a more determined defense might have been made.

The place could not have been taken by assault. It was General Wessells' fault if it was not well munitioned and provisioned, and the ram was substantially powerless against the land force, but again I repeat that I do not wish to prejudge. On the question of holding Little Washington, it is not now nor never was of strategic importance, and never should have been garrisoned, in my judgment, and believe I expressed that to you when I saw you last November.

I do not suppose the naval commander will allow the ram to get around into the Pamlico Sound, so there will not be the fear of the ram; but whether Little Washington can stand a siege against all the forces which may be brought against it is a question which I shall leave to your discretion. If you think it can, and there will be no more surrenders, then you may hold it. You know the necessity we have for troops, and can easily guess why I do not re-enforce; therefore I think the troops that are there will be quite as much of use elsewhere as is the holding of the place.

See to it, if you de evacuate, that you bring away all the baggage and guns; use your transportation to bring away families and persons who would be likely to be ill-treated and who desire to come and convey them to Beaufort. Concentrate upon New Berne and stand a siege. The longer and more severe the siege concentrating the larger number of troops upon you the better. If you concentrate you clearly can send back the troops that I have sent for. If, upon the whole, you conclude to defend Little Washington, you may retain the light battery which has been ordered away. I have

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*See p. 303.

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