BRIGADE HEADQUARTERS,

Chaffin's Farm, Va., March 14, 1863.

Major General ARNOLD ELZEY,

Commanding, & c., Richmond, Va.:

GENERAL: I respectfully beg to submit the following tabular statement of this command, in accordance with the circular from the Adjutant and Inspector General's Office, March 10, 1863:

The Fourth Virginia Heavy Artillery, Colonel J. Thomas Goode; Twenty-sixth Virginia Infantry, Colonel P. R. Page; Forty-sixth Virginia Infantry, Colonel R. T. W. Duke; Fifty-ninth Virginia Infantry, Colonel W. B. Tabb; cavalry, Holcombe Legion (four companies), Colonel W. P. Shingler; Thirty-second Battalion Virginia Cavalry, Major J. R. Robertson; Company D, Tenth Virginia Cavalry, Captain L. J. Hawley; Company A, Light Artillery Battalion, Captain A. D. Armistead; Company B, Light Artillery Battalion, Captain D. A. French - battalion commanded by Major A. W. Stark.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

HENRY A. WISE,

Brigadier-General.

HEADQUARTERS, March 15, 1863.

Brigadier General W. H. C. WHITING,
Commanding, [Wilmington], N. C.:

GENERAL: Your letter of the 4th instant was received on my return to this place. You will need more troops for the defense of Wilmington when there is a probability of attack there, but I do not agree with you in your desire to mass troops there in order to have them for the attack. On the contrary, I think that every soldier should be kept busy. If the troops at Wilmington are not constantly employed there they should be in the field, annoying the enemy whenever and wherever it may be done. They should not, however, be so far removed from Wilmington as to be out of supporting distance should they be needed there. I should think that a brigade was quite enough for sudden emergencies, particularly in case those used in the field are placed between you and the enemy. If we hold isolated positions by detachments the enemy will at his pleasure move upon the different points and take them in detail.

I remain, very respectfully, your most obedient servant,

JAMES LONGSTREET,

Lieutenant-General.

HEADQUARTERS,
Petersburg, Va., March 15, 1863.

Major General D. H. HILL, Goldsborough, N. C.:

GENERAL: If your observation upon your expedition leads you to suppose that any important results may obtain by a stronger expedition against New Berne advise me at once, and I will endeavor to assist you in making more complete arrangements. I can spare the Whitworth that I have here as soon as I can get "Long Tom" and "Charlie," as they are called, in my battery at Fort Powhatan. I have established a battery at Fort Powhatan for the purpose of intercepting transports should they attempt to pass up James River. If the reduction of New Berne is practicable in field operations, I submit the following as my