HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF WESTERN VIRGINIA,
April 18, 1864.

General S. COOPER, Adjutant and Inspector General:

GENERAL: I forward herewith a copy of my department return* for March, which I presume, from Major Melton's communication of the 13th instant, must have miscarried. The original return was sent on the 9th instant.

My attention is also called to the circular of June, 1863, requiring tri-monthly reports. Every effort has been made to comply with that circular, and the necessary orders have been issued. I find, on inquiry, that Major-General Jones addressed several letters to the Department, explaining the circumstances which rendered it impossible for him to make tri-monthly returns, and the same reasons will render it equally impracticable now. There are so many separate detachments and commands in this department, which the exigencies of the service require to be kept at places widely apart, with most of which I can communicate by couriers only, that one clerk is kept almost constantly employed in making up a single return for the month. The frequent mistakes made in the reports of subordinate officers rendered it necessary to return them for correction. So great is the distance of some commands or detachments from headquarters that at least eight days are thus consumed before the erroneous report can be received here again, even if the officer should have the means of correcting it on the spot. This will not seem singular when I remind you that some of my troops are at Jackson's River Depot and others at Saltville, separated about 150 miles in an airline. If I should hereafter be able to collect my troops near enough together to render it possible, the tri-monthly returns shall be made as required.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN C. BRECKINRIDGE,

Major-General.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
ADJT. AND INSP. GENERAL'S OFFICE, Numbers 90.
Richmond, April 18, 1864.

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XXXI. The District of Cape Fear is united with the Department of North Carolina, which is placed under the command of General G. T. Beauregard.

By command of the Secretary of War:

JNO. WITHERS,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF NORTH CAROLINA,

April 19, 1864.

General BRAXTON BRAGG,

Commanding Armies Confederate States, Richmond, Va.:

GENERAL: I have the honor to inclose a copy of the report of Major J. F. Milligan, signal officer, of the recent demonstration of the enemy in this department.

I have the honor to be, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

G. E. PICKETT,

Major-General, Commanding.

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*See abstract, p. 1250.

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