must be looked to in our intrenchments, and the flanks so secured as to make them impassable to the enemy. Our late misfortunes in Tennessee should make us anxious to retrieve our fortunes, and to do this we should not rest night or day until we are fully prepared.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. C. GATLIN,

Brigadier-General, commanding.

[9.]

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF NORTH CAROLINA, Goldsborough, February 20, 1862.

His Excellency Henry T. CLARK,
Governor of North Carolina, Raleigh:

GOVERNOR: The enemy are again moving in the sound, and will expose their designs in a very short time. I have received two dispatches from Weldon this morning. Colonel Leventhorpe reports six steamers in the mouth of the Roanoke. His dispatch is dated near Williamston, and is telegraphed from Weldon, but the time of its being written is not given. Colonel Clarke, Twenty-fourth Regiment, says: "A courier left Salmon Creek, mouth of Chowan, yesterday at 2 p. M., and reports eight large steamers going up the Chowan River, six apparently loaded with troops."

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. C. GATLIN,

Brigadier-General.

[9.]

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF NORTH CAROLINA, Goldsborough, February 21, 1862.

His Excellency Henry T. CLARK,
Governor of North Carolina:

GOVERNOR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letters of the 17th and 19th instant. Your request in regard to Randolp's and Boother's companies has been attended to; Brigadier-General Branch instructed to send them to report to Colonel Leventhorpe at Williamston if he can possibly spare them. The troops sent from Virginia to Garysburg, referred to by General Martin, were not placed at my disposal, but directed to report to General Huger. A telegram received late last night informs me that Colonel Clarke had been ordered with his force to Franklin Depot. I have seen a dispatch from Petersburg this morning, in which it is stated that the enemy landed at Winton yesterday and were driven to their boats by Colonel Solomon Williams' regiment. I presume it was a reconnoitering party. I inclose a communication* from Colonel Littlejohn, which shows a bad state of things in that section. Unless we could spare a much larger force than we can for that country, I think some percusavie means should be used to bring the people in the right track. Some one in whom they have confidence ought to be sent among them to point out the consequences of their unpatriotic conduct, and to persuade them that if they will not take up arms in our cause, at least to abstain from joining the enemy, and thus bringing ruin upon themselves and their neighbors. It is a delicate matter, and should be placed in judicious hands.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. C. GATLIN,

Brigadier-General, commanding.

[9.]

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*Not found.

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