HEADQUARTERS, Richmond, Va., October 29, 1862.

Major General S. G. FRENCH,
Commanding Department of North Carolina, Petersburg, Va.:

GENERAL: Your private note of the 25th was duly received. I have succeeded in getting authority to order Lieutenant Colonel [R.] Lindsay Walker, of the artillery, to report to you, to take charge of the artillery defenses of Petersburg and vicinity. You will find Colonel Walker an energetic and determined officer. He has served with marked distinction in the field, and I am satisfied will be of great service to you. When Colonel Walker reports to you, in case the services of Major Moseley are no longer essentially necessary the previous order directing him to report to General Pendleton for duty in General Lee's army should be carried into effect. If it is necessary in your judgment to remain Major Moseley inform me of the fact in order that further instructions in regard to him may be given. I am trying to get up a battery of heavy rifled guns on field carriages, to use either at Petersburg or here as necessity may require. Please say to General Rains that General Lee is much pleased with the manner in which the enemy were beaten off by the Whitworth guns, but he assays that he cannot spare the two Whitworths he has at present. I wrote to General Lee asking him to let General Rains have these guns but he declines.

I hope that your arrangements for opening up the counties of Martin, Washington, and Tyrrell will be successful. Everything practicable should be done to effect this important object, and I entirely approve of all your efforts to do so. General Wise had started with his command for Williamsburg and Jamestown Island when your telegram of Sunday morning reached me. I ordered the infantry to return to Chaffin's Bluff, but the cavalry has gone down to arrest and punish negroes for murders committed by them in that vicinity. There is no one available but Brigadier-General Clingman for Kinston. He is at present on leave of absence, and the President thinks that Clingman prefers to go to General Lee's army. You ought to have a brigadier at that point, and if General Martin does not desire to continue in that command, exclusive of his present duties in Raleigh as adjutant-general-which are in my opinion incompatible with the first-I request you to suggest or recommend a good officer for the position. I will lay the subject before the Secretary and endeavor to get a brigadier-general there. I have requested Colonel Gilmer to send you an engineer. I am satisfied that, besides the general engineers [who] are under his control, as [commander] of a department you have use for [an engineer] under your own orders. If you can recommend one that would suit you I will take pleasure in aiding to get him appointed and ordered on duty with you. Yours of yesterday in reference to Colonel Gwynn has been referred to Colonel Gilmer, Chief Engineer. Colonel Gwynn should have reported to you at once, showing you his orders, and asking assistance and securing co-operation. I hope he has now done os.

Respectfully and truly, yours,

G. W. SMITH,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS,
Petersburg, Va., October 30, 1862.

Honorable ZEBULON B. VANCE,

Governor of North Carolina, Raleigh, N. C.:

GOVERNOR: I have the letter written by Mr. Nanns to you from Tarborough, which was indorsed to me by your aide-de-camp. I would