service in North Carolina. I playfully said I would agree to that if you would send me one of your own regiments to receive their arms, and that I would furnish the retiring regiment with superior arms. I expressly proposed, in a tone which I thought could not be mistaken, a bargain or contract with Your Excellency, and I cannot but feel mortified at the tone of a reply which attributes to me a purpose to retain at the tone of a reply which this Government has no claim, and which undoubtedly belongs to the State of North Carolina.

Your Excellency is also pleased to make grievous complaint that arms are refused to your troops, w hen the fact is, as I suppose, well known that we have not got them; and this complaint is made at the very moment when 5,000 armed men were held in reserve for the defense of your State in this city, one-third of whom were thrown forward to Goldsborough the instant we supposed the enemy's expedition was aimed against you, and the rest ready to join them at an instant's warning. It is most disheartening to a public defense so completely ignored and misconstrued; but these are not uncommon guerdons of the public servant, and certainly will in nowise, diminish or impair the continuance of my exertions to do my duty, and my whole duty, to the whoe country. The order was issued before receipt of your letters. It will arrive here to-day or to-morrow with its arms. If it declines re-enlistment, it will proceed to North Carolina with its arms.

I have the honor to be, your obedient servant,

J. P. BENJAMIN,

Acting Secretary of War.

[4.]

SPECIAL ORDERS,
ADJT. AND INSP. GENERAL'S OFFICE, Numbers 210.
Richmond, November 7, 1861.

I. Captain McLaughlin's company (the Rockbridge Artillery) Virginia Volunteers will proceed with Major General T. J. Jackson's brigade to the Valley District, and will be replaced from here by Captain Yeiser's battery, lately attached to Stovall's battalion of Georgia Volunteers.

* * * * *

IX. Brigadier General Samuel G. French, Provisional Army, will immediately repair to Evansport, Va., and report to Major-General Holmes, commanding, for duty in charge of the batteries and forces at and near that place.

X. Brigadier General R. Trimble, Provisional Army, will immediately repair to Norfolk, Va., and report for duty to Major-General Huger, commanding.

* * * *

By command of the Secretary of War:

John WITHERS,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

[4 and 5.]

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA,
Goldsborough, November 7, 1861.

Major General J. G. MARTIN,

Adjutant-General of North Carolina, Raleigh:

GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 6th instant relative to the calling out of the militia by General D. H. Hill, and have, in accordance with the instructions contained