Thirty-first Regiment North Carolina Troops, who are within your lines. These men were paroled on Roanoke Island, and I respectfully request you to send them beyond your lines.

Lieutenant Colonel S. D. Pool, Tenth Regiment, will send a list of the men absent from his command within your lines. I would thank you to send them out as promised in your letter of the 18th.

I received on the 20th a letter written by Colonel Potter, U. S. Army, commanding at Washington, dated the 9th instant, asking if the "practice of shooting pickets and vedettes is countenanced by officers of the Confederate Army." He stated in that letter that "two of our vedettes were yesterday murdered in the most cold-blooded manner." The practice of shooting pickets is not countenanced by officers of the Confederate States Army, but when pickets are surprised by a superior force and surrender demanded they are liable to be shot if they attempt to escape. I have investigated the case reported by Colonel Potter and find that the vedettes referred to by him were surprised and ordered three times to halt and surrender before they were fired on. The statement made by the Washington paper of the 11th instant in regard to the affair acknowledges that they were halted once, which should have been sufficient, considering the force.

I am satisfied that the conduct of a detachment of the Third New York Cavalry at Mr. Woods', near Core Creek, was as reported to you, and I would be glad to know the result of your investigation of the matter, and what has been done with the guilty parties.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. G. MARTIN,

Brigadier-General.

P. S. - Your letter of the 22nd instant is received. The one sent to the Governor was delivered.

SUFFOLK, October 26, 1862.

Major-General DIX:

Colonel Dodge reports that Longstreet has arrived at Petersburg with 30,000 men, which force is now occupying Waverly (7 miles from Wakefield), Wakefield, Berlin, and Franklin. He also reports considerable force on the Seaboard and Roanoke road, probably within 15 miles of Franklin.

The railroad at Ivor has been repaired and busy for two days carrying troops. This information, save as to the numbers, agrees in the main with reports of deserters and contrabands whom I have examined. Twenty thousand troops may be there, and perhaps more.

JOHN J. PECK,

Major-General.

HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA, SEVENTH ARMY CORPS,
Fort Monroe, Va., October 27, 1862.

Actg. Rear-Admiral S. P. LEE,

Commanding North Atlantic Blockading Squadron:

ADMIRAL: I have the honor to inclose a copy of a report from Colonel Alford, the commanding officer of the post, in regard to the supposed firing on the gunboat lying off the fort by a sentry.

It appears that a private belonging to the guard, but not posted as a sentinel, went outside of the water battery, and, in violation of positive orders, fired his musket three times at some ducks a short distance