Abstract from Field Return of troops commanded by Major General G. W. Smith, October 31, 1862 (headquarters Richmond, Va.).

Present for duty.

Commands. Officers. Men. Effective

total.

Major General S. G. 573 10,045 10,858

French, Department of

North Carolina.

Brigadier General H. A. 126 1,621 1,760

Wise's brigade, Chaffin's

farm.

Colonel T. J. Page, 21 246 341

Chaffin's Bluff.

Brigadier General J. 195 3,255 3,468

Daniel's brigade, near

Drewry's Bluff.

Holcombe Legion 13 125 153

(cavalry), picketing the

Peninsula.

Richmond defenses. 93 1,717 1,824

Brook turnpike:

42nd Regiment Mississippi 30 298 307

Volunteers.

54th Regiment North 34 466 505

Carolina Troops.

57th Regiment North 25 545 561

Carolina Troops.

59th Regiment Georgia 38 593 619

Volunteers.

Captain S. S. Lee, C. S. 12 220 300

Navy, Drewry's Bluff (in

part).

Department of Henrico. 107 2,124 2,428

61st Regiment Virginia ... ... ...

Infantry.*

Colonel Chambliss, on

Rappahannock:

2nd Regiment North ... ... ...

Carolina Cavalry.*

13th and 15th Regiment .... ... ...

Virginia Cavalry.*

Grand total. 1,267 21,255 23,124

Commands. Aggregate Aggregate

present. present and

absent.

Major General S. G. French, 13,524 16,100

Department of North Carolina.

Brigadier General H. A. 2,242 2,809

Wise's brigade, Chaffin's

farm.

Colonel T. J. Page, 417 487

Chaffin's Bluff.

Brigadier General J. 4,387 5,412

Daniel's brigade, near

Drewry's Bluff.

Holcombe Legion (cavalry), 196 264

picketing the Peninsula.

Richmond defenses. 2,140 2,703

Brook turnpike:

42nd Regiment Mississippi 426 496

Volunteers.

54th Regiment North Carolina 657 784

Troops.

57th Regiment North Carolina 762 1,042

Troops.

59th Regiment Georgia 761 966

Volunteers.

Captain S. S. Lee, C. S. 359 395

Navy, Drewry's Bluff (in

part).

Department of Henrico. 3,146 5,228

61st Regiment Virginia ... ...

Infantry.*

Colonel Chambliss, on

Rappahannock:

2nd Regiment North Carolina ... ...

Cavalry.*

13th and 15th Regiment .... ...

Virginia Cavalry.*

Grand total. 29,017 36,686

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*No reports.

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SUBSISTENCE DEPARTMENT, C. S. A.,

Richmond, November 2, 1862.

His Excellency Gov. ZEBULON B. VANCE, Raleigh, N. C.:

SIR: It is every desirable to exhaust the hogs, beeves,pease, beans, and potatoes of that part of North Carolina which lies within the lines of the enemy or accessible to them. The President called my attention to information derived from you on the subject, and the representations made in response to inquiries have been of a discouraging nature. I venture to apply to you for action thereon. It is obvious that those charged with such an undertaking should be reliable business men, whose integrity and energy should be personally known to those among whom they are to operate. Neither myself nor any one in my office has such knowledge of the country or the people of lower North Carolina as to enable me to make the proper selections and the necessary arrangements to the above end. That being the case I write to ask if you will allow your agency to be used in this matter by having the whole devolve upon you, except so far as existing arrangements go. They run thus far: Mr. Jacob Parker has a contract for packing hogs at Warrenton, and has the following counties allotted to him for purchase, viz: Franklin, Warren, Nash, and Halifax.l In addition, Major W. H. Smith has made certain arrangements with Mr. H. Hayes, of Harrellsville, which he will detail to you. The balance of the district spoken of it is proposed to put under your charge, with these remarks:

1st. That as this Bureau has already more captains and majors than it ought to have it is not expedient to appoint more, except in case of absolute necessity, but to operate by agents, whose agencies can cease when their business with the Department closes.

2nd. That the points of delivery of the hogs should be fixed with reference