cause they were for Virginia cavalry. By no means. I did not term them such, at least did not so intend to term them. I have no prejudice against the troops from any State engaged in defending the common cause, but I am unwilling to see the bread taken from the mouths of women and children for the use of any troops, when those troops might be easily removed to regions where there is corn to sell, and I earnestly request once more that they may be so removed.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Z. B. VANCE.

[Indorsements.]

Respectfully referred to Major General S. Jones for information and report; also for reference to Brigadier-General Jenkins' command. It is a matter of much concern to this Department that there is so much of evil spoken of General Jenkins' bands of cavalry.

By order of the Secretary of War:

J. A. CAMPBELL,

Assistant Secretary of War.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF WEST VIRGINIA,
April 6, 1863.

Respectfully returned to the War Department with the report of Colonel W. H. French of the 3rd instant. My own remarks on this letter were given in my letter* of the 2nd instant to the Secretary of War.

SAM. JONES,

Major-General.

[Inclosure.]

HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY BRIGADE,
Salem, Va., April 3, 1863.

Major General SAMUEL JONES,

Commanding Department of Western Virginia:

GENERAL: A communication from His Excellency Governor Vance, of North Carolina, referred by the Secretary of War to you and by you to myself, has just been received. In reply I would state on the subject of impressment that no orders have ever been issued to any officer or agent of this command to impress forage prior to your communication* of the 22nd ultimo, authorizing Captain [M. B.] Porteaux, assistant quartermaster, to do so. If any impressments have been made not included in that authority the party making them rendered himself liable to charges, and on proper notification from any aggrieved person in North Carolina they would have been promptly preferred and the complaint fully investigated; and I beg leave to state that, notwithstanding the fifty letters received by Governor Vance and the notoriety of the offenses of Jenkins' bands of cavalry, not one single specific charge has ever been sent to these headquarters from that or any other source since I have been in command of this brigade (nearly a month), nor before General Jenkins left, as I am informed by a member of his staff.

On another point touching the character of this command I feel called upon to state that the larger portion of it has been quartered here in this county nearly four months, and I would invite investigation to the fact that no serious complaints have been made by any citizens; and while officers and agents sent out by us under your orders on detached service at remote points to arrest deserters and forage horses may have

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* Not found.

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