sail and off at a greater distance; all others out of sight. No news from Gloucester.

R. JOHNSTON.

(Copy to General Holmes.)

[4 and 5.]

HEADQUARTERS NORHTWEST ARMY,
Staunton, Va., December 4, 1861.

Colonel W. B. TALLIAFERRO,

Commanding Brigade:

COLONEL: You will upon receipt of this take your command upon the cars to Strasburg, and there await further orders. I have received instructions from the War Department to this effect.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. W. LORING,

Brigadier-General, Commanding, &c.

[5.]

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF NORTH CAROLINA,
Goldsborough, December 4, 1861.

Brigadier General J. R. ANDERSON,

Commanding, &c., Wilmington, N. C.:

GENERAL: Your letter of the 3rd instant has been received. I am fearful that we will find it difficult to replace the troops sent to South Carolina. I have been instructed to relieve the Third Georgia Regiment at Roanoke Island by a North Carolina regiment and to send the Georgia regiment back to Norfolk, so that the Secretary of War must have been misinformed in regard to matters when he suggested that I might furnish you a regiment from that island. The Governor has but a part of a regiment at Raleigh armed, but it is not yet equipped. When is is equipped I shall be compelled to send it to Hude County to rpelace the regiment sent to Roanoke. He gives me no encouragement in expecting any other troops; his plea is that he has no arms for them. In regard to the battery at Huggins' Island, I don't exactly see where the troops are to come from. I had hoped that I might have been offered artillery companies, but none have offered. I will write to the Governor on the subject, and will again address you in regard to the matter.

In haste, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. C. GATLIN,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

[4.]

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE NORTHWEST,
Staunton, Va., December 5, 1861.

Colonel W. B. TALLIAFERRO,

Commanding Brigade, Strasburg:

COLONEL: The general commanding directs me to inform you that he sent you to-day the following telegram, viz:

CONFIDENTIAL.] HEADQUARTERS NORTHWEST ARMY,

Staunton, December 5.

Colonel W. B. Taliaferro, commanding brigade, will proceed from Strasburg to Winchester with his command.

W. W. LORING.