Major-General French and confer fully with him on the subject of defenses for the river of Eastern North Carolina.

I do find some difficulty in reading your letters, and when possible I must ask you to have fair copies made for transmission to this Bureau. The engagement of the assistant you met with at Tarborough must be but temporary, as application has been made for the detail of your son for service at that place; this at your request.

It has occurred to me that much can be done to aid in the defense of the rivers in North Carolina by taking favorable points below your forts and felling a large number of trees along the bank and getting them in the stream in such a manner as to lodge and form irregular rafts extending long distances up and down stream, and then at favorable points along the banks make rifle-pits for sharpshooters, who can protect the obstructions. I will make every effort to get guns to arm the forts you are building, but it will not be possible to get them of the heaviest caliber, and such as we can get will probably be mounted on siege-carriages.

I am, sir, your obedient servant,

J. F. GILMER,

Colonel and Chief of Engineer Bureau.

ENGINEER BUREAU, November 8, 1862.

Colonel J. GORGAS, Chief of Ordnance:

COLONEL: Defensive works are in course of construction on three of the most important rivers of Eastern North Carolina-on the Roanoke, in the vicinity of Hamilton; on the Tar, near Tarborough, and on the Neuse, at Kinston. Anticipating the early completion of these works I have the honor to make a requisition for the armament. This in each case should consist of five rifled guns on siege-carriages of such caliber as can be most promptly supplied. Of these fifteen guns those required for the Roanoke will probably be first needed. As soon as any of these are ready I respectfully request to be notified of the fact.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. F. GILMER,

Colonel and Chief of Engineer Bureau.

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,

Raleigh, November 8, 1862.

Colonel L. B. NORTHROP:

DEAR SIR: Your communication to Governor Vance has been received, in which you propose to avail yourself of his agency in procuring a speedy removal of the hogs, beeves, pease, beans, and potatoes from that portion of the State "within the lines of the enemy or accessible to them." His Excellency directs me to say in reply that he will most cheerfully undertake the task which you propose to assign to him. He is of opinion that the energies of the Department should be directed to the removal of those articles from the counties which are threatened with immediate invasion. All the counties west of this place are at present safe, and if a supply of salt can be procured the hogs will be cured into bacon, which can be procured at any time.

Yours, very respectfully,

DAVID A. BARNES,

Aide-de-Camp to Governor Vance.

49 R R-VOL XVIII