counties adjoining Washington, so as to enable us to get the supplies out of that part of the State and to give protection to the people and induce them to plant largely for the coming season. A force has also been sent into Bertie County for a similar purpose, and to operate in Gates and Chowan Counties. The people of the eastern part of the State have some cause of complaint for want of protection, because the small force I have had in my command precluded my advancing them far east of the railroad. Now for the first time I have an available force to send east and attack the enemy and give some protection to the citizens. To-day finds the enemy not advanced a foot from where he was in July last, when I was placed in charge of this department. I inclose with this a letter from the quartermaster at Tarborough in reply to one from my chief quartermaster. You may rest assured I shall draw all my supplies as far as possible from the surrounding country. The requirements for Wilmington are 10,000 bushels per month.

Yours, very respectfully,

S. G. FRENCH,

Major-General, Commanding.

[FEBRUARY 12, 1863.- For Beauregard to Whiting, see Series I, Vol. XIV, p. 774.]

NAVY DEPARTMENT, C. S. A.,

Richmond, Va., February 13, 1863.

His Excellency ZEBULON B. VANCE,

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

SIR: I am informed by Flag-Officer Lynch that there are at Lawrenceburg, N. C., 4,224 bars, or about 707 tons, of railroad iron, and that all operations upon the extension of the railroad beyond that point have been suspended and will not be renewed during the war. I have the honor to request that this iron may be turned over to this Department to be rolled into plates for protecting the gunboat and battery under construction on the Roanoke River. The iron will be paid for at its market value, or the Department will agree to return it six months after a declaration of peace. All efforts made to obtain iron in North Carolina and elsewhere have failed, and I beg leave to urge upon your consideration the expediency of turning over the lot of iron referred to, with the understanding that it will be used exclusively for plating gunboats and batteries now nearly ready for it in your State.

I am, respectfully, your obedient servant,

S. R. MALLORY,

Secretary of War.

FREDERICKSBURG, February 13, 1863.

General S. COOPER:

I think a division under Ransom, as well as I can judge at this distance, can be sent. I refer to my letters to the President and Secretary.

R. E. LEE,

General.

[FEBRUARY 13, 1863.- For Seddon to Whiting, see Series I, Vol. XIV, p. 776.]