a week or two. Since then, however, troops have been sent from North Carolina in numbers exceeding the numbers of the Reserve. The Secretary of War does not think the calling out of the militia desirable. In the first place they would, as you suggest, necessarily be imperfectly organized. Secondly, they would trench very much upon our limited subsistence. Thirdly, they would be of very little real service. Hence the advice of the Secretary is to organize them at home, but not to send them to the coast until some very pressing exigency may arise. In this view I entirely concur. What you say about the agricultural interest is very forcible, and must commenced itself to the judgment of every reflecting person. there is every desire here to render General Beauregard all possible assistance. Troops will continue to be sent as rapidly as events demand and the movements of the enemy elsewhere will admit.

Under these circumstances, with the additional facts that the people of the Fourth and Tenth Reserves, now reorganizing (the Charleston troops scarcely yet), are in a country cultivated mostly by white labor, and that to take them away for three months will prevent the planting and raising of grain crops, so essential for themselves and also for subsisting the troops and portions of the Confederacy where no crops can be raised, it seems to me impolitic to call our the regiments.

I will add that a great many of our boys under eighteen and men over forty are already in the field as volunteers. Moreover I have encouraged the raising of volunteer companies, to continue their organization for the fight, unless their militia regiments shall be ordered to the field, when they will join them. These volunteers, of which it is not improbable you may get several companies, will be better than the mixed militia. It will unquestionably be better in all respects that the militia should not be called our now, and in this I hope your judgment will concur.

Very truly and respectfully, yours,

M. L. BONHAM.

INSPECTOR-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Charleston, S. C., March 10, 1863.

Brigadier General THOMAS JORDAN,

Chief of Staff and Assistant Adjutant-General:

SIR: In obedience to your communication of the 4th instant, requesting me to make frequent visits (at least once a week) to the torpedo ram to urge its completion, I visited yesterday the ship-yard where said ram is being constructed, and I beg leave to report as follows:

Sixty-one ship-carpenters and laborers are now employed on the marine ram, under the general supervision of Captain F. D. Lee. They work from 7 a. m. to 1 p. m. from 2 p. m. to 6 p. m. Captain Lee and F. M. Jones, his assistant, think that the wood work of the boat will be completed in two weeks. The timber and planking for the shield is already prepared and is now being put together. The boiler and part of the engine are in place and the shafting was being fitted to the stern. The necessary repairs to the machinery (which is second-hand machinery, purchased in Savannah) are being executed at the arsenal. Captain Lee has no immediate control over that portion of the work, and he doubts whether it will be ready as soon as the rest. Both Captain Lee and Jones, being otherwise engaged, do not remain all day with the workmen. Captain Lee, however, visits the ship-yard regularly once a day.

So much time has been consumed in the building of that ram, and on the other hand the difficulty of procuring iron to shield it is so great,

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