tents. Did your examination extend as far back as this? If you have time you bad better have a minute examination made to-night and let is know.

Most respectfully,

JAMES LONGSTREET,

Lieutenant-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF THE CAPE FEAR,
Wilmington, N. C., April 25, 1863.

Major General D. H. HILL,

Commanding, &c., Goldsborough:

GENERAL: Yours of the 23rd received. General Cooke and his troops are arriving, but General Beauregard has received General Evans in his stead, so I have only made an exchange, but am a gainer by the swap. Beauregard says the enemy are still in force in his front, but that the moment I am menaced he will aid me. I do not think a land attack can be made upon me here with you in position at Kinston. I should of course require more troops than I have now, but, but should expect them from Beauregard. In the mean time we are daily growing stronger as against a sea attack.

The Merrimac, Charleston, Margaret, and Jessie all came in day before yesterday. We had quite a spirited engagement over the two former. As you expected, my 30-pounder Parrott burst in the engagement. The Merrimac brings me three splendid Blakely guns, 8-inch rifled 130-pounders. Two of them are for this place, one gone to Mississippi. I shall place one at Caswell and one at Fisher. I have three 10-inch columbiads at Caswell.

I wrote you about torpedoes. I have only a few here, hardly enough for the obstructions. You had better apply to Rains, chief of Conscript Bureau. I think there are any number of them ion Richmond.

Inclose please find a letter from my scout,* which may give you some intelligence.

As to telegraph, use the cipher for importance words. I have both the War Department cipher and Beauregard's.

Very respectfully,

W. H. C. WHITING,

Brigadier-General.

KINSTON, N. C., April 26, 1863.

Major J. N. WHITFORD, Swift Creek Village:

DEAR SIR: I learn that my scout Kinsly has los the confidence of the Yankees and that George Smith is suspected. It seems, then, a difficult task to put Foster on a wrong scent again. B. and C. tell me that our deserters are also suspected, and that the last two sent down are in irons, I wish, therefore, to arrange, a plan with you for chasing the deserters and firing upon the until you run them into their lines. This would relieve all suspicions and enable me to stuff Foster to my heart's content. Come up to-morrow or next day and we will arrange the plan.

I was at Core Creek, on the Dover road, of Friday. The mills are not destroyed as reported. I wish you to have the scouts arrested who

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* Not found.

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