Abstract from Monthly Returns of troops in East and Middle Florida for March, 1863.

Present for

duty.

Command. Offic Men. Aggreg Aggre

ers. ate gate

presen prese

t. nt

and

absen

t.

DISTRICT OF EAST FLORIDA

(Brigadier-General FINEGAN).

1st Georgia Regulars 20 210 290 433

2nd Florida Cavalry (4 16 350 408 452

companies)

Twelve companies of infantry and 41 682 820 1.164

one dismounted company

Three batteries of artillery 13 305 331 342

Total 90 1.547 1.849 2.391

DISTRICT OF MIDDLE FLORIDA

(Brigadier-General COBB).

1st Georgia Regulars, Colonel 22 223 315 428

Magill

1st Florida Battalion, 20 357 402 523

Lieutenant-Colonel Hopkins

Cobb Guards 3 54 64 86

Captain Curry's company 4 104 108 125

2nd Florida Cavalry 16 350 419 502

Robinsons' Partisan Rangers 4 84 90 106

Echol's (Georgia) artillery, 3 113 124 155

Captain Tiller

Leon (Florida) Light Artillery, 5 167 179 203

Captain Gamble

Total 77 1.452 1.701 2.128

Grand total 167 2.999 3.550 4.519

RESIDENCE, EAST BANK SAINT JOHN'S [RIVER],

Near Palatka, Fla., April 2, 1863.

Brigadier General JOSEPH FINEGAN:

SIR: On Monday, the 23 ultimo, a large side-wheel steamer came up the river as far as Palatka and fired four shells over the town. She then returned to Orange Mill, and lay off that place until 2 o'clock Tuesday evening, and went down the river. While at the mill the Yankees butchered a beef, killed several sheep, and took on board a negro man named John, belonging to Mr. Frank Hernandez.

On Thursday morning a large propeller came up the river and lay off the mill until evening, when she came up opposite Palatka, abreast of the residence of Mr. Antonio Baza. A large force of negroes was landed from the propeller at the residence of Mr. C. Dupont, and also at Orange Mill, which said force marched by land to Mr. Baza's and Mr. Sanchez's place, opposite Palatka, where they joined the force on board the propeller. This force by land visited the plantation of Colonel Dancy and caught two of his negroes, one of which afterward escaped. They cooked and ate at this place and carried off all the poultry. The colonel's place on the river was also ransacked by the negroes. They also visited the plantation of Major Balling, destroying all they could, but did not succeed in getting any negroes, as, fortunately, they had been removed a few days previous. This land force, on arriving at the residences of Messrs. Sanchez and Baza, surrounded the places, and took 3 negroes from Mr. Morris Sanchez and other things of value from the yard. They did not succeed in catching Mr. Baza's negroes, but took from him three horses and one cart, all of his poultry, hogs, pots, salt, and everything else they could lay their hands upon. They also butchered two beeves in the yard. The negroes kept the houses surrounded, and