the whole line of railroad to Wilmington being under General Holmes. By taking arms from ineffectives here I can add to the arms you have already furnished to four of your regiments enough to complete their armament. Will send arms to Petersburg to meet troops and will add two light batteries to brigade. Urgent.

JEFFERSON DAVIS.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
ADJT. AND INSP. GENERAL'S OFFICE, Numbers 127.
Richmond, Va., June 3, 1862.

* * * *

By command of the Secretary of War:

JNO WITHERS,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. FIRST BRIGADE, ARMY OF THE PAMLICO, Camp Johnson, June 17, 1862.

Major General T. H. HOLMES,

Commanding Department of North Carolina, Goldsborough, N. C.:

GENERAL: On the 1st of this month I assumed command of this brigade, consisting of four regiments of infantry, one of calvary, three batteries of light artillery, and two independent companies of cavalry; three batteries of light artillery, and two independent companies of cavalry; also Captain Whitford's company of heavy artillery, acting as Partisan Rangers, and Captain Nethercutt, with about 20 men, on the same duty, the whole force making an aggregate of 5,329, of which only 3,928 were reported present for duty.

The rest of the command were sick in hospitals in comp, some absent sick with a few on detached service and furloughs.

My first attention was called to the large amount of sickness in camp and the probable cause, with the view of remedy it if possible. The ground on which the troops were camped was low, without any drainage, and a swamp on the side of each regiment.

After careful examination in every direction in the vicinity of Kinston I found it necessary to remove my camp to Falling Creek, where there is a high and dry encampment on the railroad, and to all appearances healthy, at least as much as as any place in this section of the country. There is an excellent drill ground at the camp, large enough for the entire brigade.

I left one regiment of infantry on picket around and 6 miles in advance of Kinston. The cavalry pickets extend to within a few miles of New Berne, nearly to Deep Gully, on the Trent road, and from the railroad near Tuscarora, running across to the Neuse. This duty was done by five companies of cavalry, which I intend to strengthen by three more.

On the other side of Neuse, on Swift Creek, Captain Carraway's company of cavalry and Captain Whitford's Partisan Rangers picket and keep the enemy close to New Berne in that direction. Captain Tucker's cavalry company picket on the Tar River from Greenville to within a short distance of Washington. Captain Nethercutt, with his