HEADQUARTERS PETTIGREW'S BRIGADE,
Hookerton, N. C., April 20, 1863-12 m.

Major General D. H. HILL:

GENERAL: Yours of 7 o'clock this morning is just received. A half hour before I received a note from General Daniel, dated yesterday, containing the same information. As I hear nothing from him to-day I suppose the Yankees are not serious. I am 20-odd miles from Greenville. If I am to support Greenville and Kinston it is absolutely necessary that the depot commissaries at these two points should have enough to issue to troops arriving, for in this country it is utterly impossible to support troops while they are marching. I have just received a report that there is nothing at Kinston. The weather is very hard on troops on the march, and it is trying them too hard to add hunger to their other sufferings. I think that General Robertson should be ordered to establish the necessary courier lines. There must be maps of this country. I have some of the north of the Tar and south of the Neuse but none between. Please order your engineer to have a copy made and sent to me.

I received your letter about the Seventeenth [North Carolina] some time after it was written, but I was unable to learn their whereabouts until I received your not of this morning. Major Haskell having no orders I brought him and one battery with me; the remainder was left behind with General Daniel and Garnett. I have just ordered his battery back to General Daniel.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. J. PETTIGREW,

Brigadier-General.

HEADQUARTERS,
Kinston, N. C., April 20, 1863-6 a. m.

[Major General D. H. HILL:]

GENERAL: Your note of yesterday is just received. I shall at once set to works to fortify Southwest Creek, as I presume you mean that stream. Batchelder's Creek is only 10 miles from New Berne. The enemy was quiet yesterday. Now that they find their move on the north side was fruitless I presume they will be for trying the old route. martin's regiment and Moore's battery arrived late yesterday. Shall I keep them here? I suppose they can be of as much service here as anywhere else.

Yours, truly,

R. RANSOM, JR.,

Brigadier-General.

HEADQUARTERS,
Near Suffolk, Va., April 20, 1863.

Major General S. G. FRENCH, Commanding,&c.:

GENERAL: I have the honor to communicate to you the desire of the commanding general that you forward with as little delay as practicable a report of the affair yesterday, involving the capture of Stribling's battery.

I am, general, very respectfully, your most obedient servant,

G. MOXLEY SORREL,

Assistant Adjutant-General.