If they are sent farther south they would probably have to go to Georgia before forage could be found in abundance, and by the time they could reach that section of country I should want them to start back to Virginia to enter on active service. I therefore respectfully suggest that the horses be allowed to remain a few, not more than two or three, weeks longer where they are.]

I regret very much that Jenkins' cavalry has caused so many complaints to be made to you, but I am satisfied that if his horses had been sent to any other part of the country which has not heretofore felt the war by the actual presence of troops, the complaints would have been quite as numerous as they have been from North Carolina, and if the horses are removed now to a more remote region, which has not been annoyed by the presence of troops, the complaints will probably increase in number and earnestness, for I have observed that those who have suffered least in this war generally complain the loudest on comparatively small provocation.

I regret to find that Governor Vance construes my indorsement of the 28th February on Lieutenant-Colonel Cook's letter as casting imputations on the loyalty of the people of a particular region in North Carolina. I have written to the Governor disclaiming any such intention. My remark applied to a few persons, the owners of large estates, and could not justly be construed to apply to the people generally of any region. The Governor himself informed me last October, when I was commanding the Department of East Tennessee, that there were disloyal people in the western part of his State, who were banded together to resist lawful authority, and asked me to send a force to disperse them, which I did. The information given me by the Governor was confirmed by other information that there were a few disloyal people in the western part of his State, and my indorsement applied only to those few and not to the people generally.

With great respect, your obedient servant,

SAM. JONES,

Major-General.

[Indorsement.]

Send to Governor Vance the extract from this letter between brackets.

J. A. S.

Secretary of War.

SPECIAL ORDERS, HDQRS. ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA,

No. 93. April 3, 1863.

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VIII. Brigadier General Paul J. Semmes is assigned to the command of the brigade of McLaws' division formerly commanded by him.

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By command of General R. E. Lee:

W. H. TAYLOR,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA, April 4, 1863.

His Excellency JEFFERSON DAVIS,

President of the Confederate States:

Mr. PRESIDENT: On first hearing of the movement of Burnside's corps from Newport News, I sent a scout into Maryland to watch the