Abstract from Return of the Department of North Carolina, Major General John G. Foster commanding, for the month of February, 1863 (headquarters, New Berne, N. C.).

Present for duty.

Command. Officer Men. Aggregate Aggregate

. present. present

and

absent.

New Berne, N. C., 10 ... 10 19

Major General

John G. Foster,

Eighteenth Army

Corps.

New Berne, N. C., 241 5,251 6,621 7,368

Brigadier General

I. N. Palmer,

First Division.

Port Royal, S. C., ... ... ... 6,653

Brigadier General

H. M. Naglee,

Second Division.

Port Royal, S. C., 27 585 706 5,721

Brigadier General

O. S. Ferry, Third

Division.

New Berne, N. C., 194 2,802 3,649 6,116

Brigadier General

H. W. Wessells,

Fourth Division.

New Berne, N. C., 220 4,422 5,183 6,472

Brigadier General

Henry Prince,

Fifth Division.

Port Royal, S. C., 36 940 1,131 2,206

Brigadier General

J. H. Ledlie,

Artillery Brigade.

New Berne, N. C., 38 620 762 931

Colonel S. H.

Mix, Third New

York Cavalry.

Washington, N. C., 16 406 536

Brigadier General

E. E. Potter,

First North

Carolina (Union)

Volunteers.

Grand total. 782 15,026 36,022

Pieces of artillery.

Command. Aggregate Heavy. Field.

present

and

absent

last

monthly

return.

New Berne, N. C., 19 ... ...

Major General

John G. Foster,

Eighteenth Army

Corps.

New Berne, N. C., 7,453 ... ...

Brigadier General

I. N. Palmer,

First Division.

Port Royal, S. C., 6,778 ... ...

Brigadier General

H. M. Naglee,

Second Division.

Port Royal, S. C., 5,794 ... ...

Brigadier General

O. S. Ferry, Third

Division.

New Berne, N. C., 6,321 ... ...

Brigadier General

H. W. Wessells,

Fourth Division.

New Berne, N. C., 7,069 ... ...

Brigadier General

Henry Prince,

Fifth Division.

Port Royal, S. C., 2,210 98 62

Brigadier General

J. H. Ledlie,

Artillery Brigade.

New Berne, N. C., 927 ... 2

Colonel S. H.

Mix, Third New

York Cavalry.

Washington, N. C., 538 ... ...

Brigadier General

E. E. Potter,

First North

Carolina (Union)

Volunteers.

Grand total. 37,709 98 64

REMARKS.- The division of Generals Naglee and Ferry are absent on detachment service in the Department of the South, with the exception of the Fifty-eighth Pennsylvania Volunteers, of General Ferry's division.

The Twenty-fourth Massachusetts Volunteers and tenth Connecticut Volunteers, of General Wessells' division, are absent on detached service in the Department of the South.

UNITED STATES FLAG-SHIP MINNESOTA,

Off Newport News, Va., March 1, 1863.

Major General JOHN A. DIX, U. S. A.,

Commanding Seventh Army Corps, Fort Monroe, Va.:

GENERAL: I received this evening your communication dated 28th ultimo. It is necessary that the guard vessel should have an original certificate to send in with the weekly return from the department in order to show the character of a vessel and cargo passing the blockade. The certificate of the quartermaster at Fortress Monroe will answer this purpose, which I respectfully request you will have given in all cases where it is desirable that the vessel should retain her original order. The guard vessel will be directed to return the order to which you refer, and hereafter merely to take the name of the transport having troops on board and afterward get a certificate from the quartermaster. This will be done in order not to detain the troops even to copy the order; but it will be very inconvenient to the guard vessel, in addition to her boarding duties - having no stream-tug to assist her - to do this except in case of troops ships. Even in case of troops transports it would be convenient of the quartermaster, who has tugs at this command, would sent the certificate off to the guard vessel.

I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, yours,

S. P. LEE,

Actg. Rear-Admiral, Commanding N. Atlantic Blockading Squadron.