require that you should rescind the order heretofore made in reference to Colonel Ransom's regiment.

We have the honor to be, with great respect, your obedient servants,

B. S. GAITHER.

W. N. H. SMITH.

A. T. DAVIDSON.

[AND 7 OTHERS.]

[9.]

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF NORTH CAROLINA, Goldsborough, March 4, 1862.

General S. COOPER,
Adjutant and Inspector General C. S. Army, Richmond, Va.:

GENERAL: The steamer Nashville is now lying at the wharf at Morehead City in a very exposed situation, as I conceive. She is not immediately under the guns of Fort Macon, and there seems to be no good reason why the enemy could not advance up Core Sound at night in their launches and burn her without the fort being able to render any assistance or knowing of it until the thing was accomplished. I mention this with the hope that it may be communicate to Captain Pegram, of whose address I am ignorant.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. C. GATLIN,

Brigadier-General, commanding.

[9.]

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF NORTH CAROLINA, Goldsborough, March 4, 1862.

Brigadier General L. O'B. BRANCH,
Commanding, &c., New Berne:

GENERAL: I had intended to have gone down to New Berne to-day, but I am far from well, and Captain Meade, whom I designed to take with me, has not yet returned from the Roanoke. I will be with you as soon as I can come down. In the meantime you had better enter upon the construction of the new covered battery you refer to in your letter. I inclose a letter from Adjutant-General Martin, containing allegations against Captain Oates, assistant quartermaster of the Thirty-seventh Regiiment, which please cause to be invetigated. If there is just grounds for believing the charges to be true, please require him to turn over all the public funds in his possession, place in him under arrest, and prefer charges. We can't get rid of improper officers too soon, particularly those in the disbursing departments.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. C. GATLIN,

Brigadier-General, commanding.

[9.]

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF NORTH CAROLINA, Goldsborough, March 4, 1862.

Brigadier General L. O'B. BRANCH,

Commanding, &c., New Berne, n. C.:

GENERAL: I was in Raleigh yesterday, where the order of the Secretary of War for the withdrawal of the troops from Washington was telegraphed to me. Had I been at this place I would have written to