known many an officer promoted for a strong, vigorous, although unsuccessful, defense; I have never yet known one, in any service, for a surrender.

You may be overpowered. I know you will never surrender. When there might be some hope of re-enforcing Plymouth I sent down to Roanoke Island the Twenty-fifth Massachusetts, which I must have back at all hazards forthwith by the earliest possible transportation. You can order it back upon the same transportation that brought it down, to wit, the Burnside and ReNumbers Do not detain any transportation which we shall send down to you.

I wish to tell you further, for your information, that if either Washington or New Berne can hold out fifteen days I shall be in condition to relieve them, perhaps sooner. The inclination of my mind is against holding Washington if it could be evacuated, bringing off all our stores and munitions.

Any aid that you mean to give me by the way of troops I must have by the 30th, or they will be substantially useless.

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

BENJ. F. BUTLER,

Major-General, Commanding.

HDQRS. ARMY AND DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA,
New Berne, N. C., April 24, 1864.

Brigadier-General PALMER,

Commanding Sub-district of New Berne:

GENERAL: I am directed by General Peck to say that he has just returned from the blockade on the Neuse River. He found on conversing with the officer in charge of the section of artillery at that point that no reconnaissance are made up the river above the blockade. Many small boats go up as far as the blockade, but after looking around a little at that point and evincing much fear about proceeding any farther return again. The general thinks that you ought to order small boats to patrol the river as far up as practicable, gaining all possible information as regards the ram, &c.

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

JAS. D. OUTWATER,

Lieutenant and Aide-de-Camp.

HEADQUARTERS SUB-DISTRICT OF NEW BERNE,
New Berne, N. C., April 24, 1864.

Commander H. K. DAVENPORT,

Senior Naval Officer, Sounds of North Carolina:

SIR: I wish to call your attention to a few facts which, mentioned kindly, I hope you will take the same way, as I only say these things as a matter of duty, believing it for the best interests of both services.

You understand perfectly the situation of affairs here as far as the rebel ram on the Neuse is concerned, and you must be aware that if that ram is permitted to come into this harbor the shipping, gun-boats, &c., must be destroyed or driven away, and the town itself liable to destruction. I have done everything in my power to avoid such a disaster. The forces under my command have picketed the