Department for his trouble, to be paid at the Engineer Office in Richmond upon the production by him of a receipt from the agent acknowledging the delivery of the free negroes. The bearer of this, Mr. Junius Lamb, is authorized to give receipts for the negroes, slave and free, and from that time the Government of the Confederate States will be responsible for the slaves according to the laws of Virginia, with the additional responsibility for their value should they escape to the enemy or be injured by him. These negroes will be sent to the nearest wharves or railroad depots, in accordance with instructions to be given by the agent. Cost of transportation will be paid at the Engineer Office upon the production of evidence signed by the agent that it has been furnished. In order to facilitate the collection of the negroes, the Government agent may appoint sub-agents, two of whose negroes will be released as a compensation for the work.

I am, sir, very respectfully, &c.,

R. H. CHILTON,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[9.]

HEADQUARTERES DEPARTMENT OF NORTH CAROLINA, Goldsborough, February 17, 1862.

General S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General, Richmond, Va.:

GENERAL: I have the honor to report that we have received no news of the enemy upon our coast since the fall of Roanoke Island other than a rumor to-day from Portsmouth, N. C., that some seven additional steamers had arrived at Hatteras. I had the honor to notify you on the 15th instant of the disposition of the small force at my disposal for the protection of the bridge and railroad at Weldon. Major-General Martin, general-in-chief of the forces in North Carolina, has by a recent order called out the militia in the district of Brigadier-General Wise and of the counties bordering on the Roanoke River in this department. The whole militia force of these counties having been called out, you will perceive that it will be necessary to have an additional brigadier-general ordered to report to me for service in that section, or some confusion will arise in consequence of a conflict of rank between the militia brigadier-generals and the coolnes of regiments in the service of the Confederacy. I designed to have intrusted the defense of that section of the country to Colonel Collett Leventhorpe, Thirty-fourth Regiment North Carolina Troops, in whom I have great confidence. Colonel L. is an English gentleman, who served for many years in the British service, resigned his captainey some eight years ago, married and settled in the western part of this State, and entered our army when elected colonel of the regiment raised in his section. I have just received a dispatch from him in which he expresses doubt as to the practicability of blocking up the Roanoke in consequence of the present stage of water, and fears that the enemy's boats cannot be prevented by the small force under his command form ascending the river. The militia who have been called out are badly armed, and but a small portion of them can be taken from their homes in consequence of the great number of slaves in the counties to which they belong.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. C. GATLIN,

Brigadier-General, commanding.

[9.]