Georgia regiments, organized and ready for the field, had been ordered to Goldsborough, and these arms were intended for them, as they were unarmed. Accident prevented the arrival of the regiments at Goldsborough as soon as was expected, but they came soon afterward and received the arms intended for them. When the Georgia regiments were ordered to Goldsborough the arms were sent from Charleston via Charlotte, because it was deemed the safer route. Had we known that North Carolina had regiments ready for service we would have been glat to order them to Goldsborough and to have armed them. It was an earnest desire to save North Carolina from invasion which caused the arms to be placed in the hands of the troops now possessing them.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEO. W. RANDOLPH,

Secretary of War.

[9.]

SPECIAL ORDERS,
ADJT. AND INSP. GENERAL'S OFFICE, Numbers 85.
Richmond, April 14, 1862.

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III. Major W. H. Ker, acting assistant adjutant-general, will repair to Goldsborough, N. C., and report to Major-General Holmes.

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XIII. Captain A. E. Read's company Virginia heavy artillery will proceed at once to Norfolk, Va., and report for duty to Major-General Huger, commanding.

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XVI. Captain Branch's company, Sixteenth Regiment Virginia Volunteers, will proceed to Petersburg, Va., to reorganize. As soon as reorganized, it will report for duty to Major-General Huger, commanding Department of Norfolk.

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By command of the Secretary of War:

John WITHERS,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

[9 and 11.]

RICHMOND, VA., April 14, 1862.

S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General:

GENERAL: The last order to me was to report to General J. E. Johnston as early as convenient after my examination before the committee of the House of Representatives on the defeat at Roanoke Island was completed. He was to assign to me a brigade. I applied to him in person on the evening of the 11th instant for information and orders. He replied that his command was fully organized, and that he had so informed the Department some time ago. Of this I informed the Secretary of War on the 12th instant. He issued orders accordingly to General Johnston in effect, as I understood, to assign to me a brigade on the Peninsula, taking a portion of my legion as a nucleus. At the same time he sent to the House of Representatives the report which I had made on the 21st of February on the cause of defeat of Roanoke Island. This enables me at once to report for duty and to ask that I may be allowed to join my command before any battle with the enemy. Shall I await here for the reply of General Johnston to the orders of