to be beaten, and will not be taken, the best arm should be given that the country can afford.

The retaliation we should at present adopt is to arm our colored troops with Spencer repeating rifles, and I request that my division, or a part of them, may be armed with a repeating or breech- loading fir- arm.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. W. HINKS,

Brigadier- General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA,
New Berne, N. C., April 29, 1864.

Major R. S. DAVIS,

A. A. G., Hdqrs. Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina:

MAJOR: The last news from General Harland, commanding at Little Washington, was dated yesterday, the 28th instant, 3 o'clock p. m., in which he says that he had not yet sent the Fifty- eighth Pennsylvania and the Twenty- first Connecticut Volunteers, in consequence of the presence of the enemy in his immediate vicinity. He had embarked both regiments on the 27th instant, but he finally decided to detain them until last night. General Harland is of the opinion, however, that he will still be able to get those regiments to Fort Monroe by 30th instant.

General Harland has sent three companies of cavalry and the Twenty- third New York Light Battery, with twelve wagons, across the country to New Berne. The party arrived safely at Fort Anderson at 8 o'clock this a. m. I have sent all my available steam transportation, with some six schooners in tow, to Washington, and with this and the road across the country open, I expect by to- morrow night to have everything out of Washington and well on the way to this place. General Harland has some 3,000 negroes, which he has sen t to Hill's Point, below Washington, from which place they can, I think, all be surely removed aboard the transports.

A refugee from Kinston has just come in. He says that on Monday the ram started, escorted by ne brigade of infantry, but that after she had got only some few hundred yards from the place of departure she ran hard aground. They were making every effort to float her off, but the very low stage of the water and the strong blockade erected here will undoubtedly be, for the present at least, our sufficient protection. My opinion is that this brigade was sent with her to remove any obstacles she might encounter, and that they sent so large a force, well knowing that we have but a small garrison here, and that we could not afford to march out and give them battle.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

I. N. PALMER,

Brigadier- General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA,
New Berne, N. C., April 29, 1864.

Major R. S. DAVIS,

Asst. Adjt. General, Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina:

MAJOR: I beg leave to call the attention of the commanding general to the fact that a very large supply of subsistence stores are