[First indorsement.]

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA,
February --, 1865.

Respectfully submitted for the consideration of the Honorable Secretary of War.

R. E. LEE,

General.

[Second indorsement.]

BUREAU OF ADJT. AND INSP. GEN., APPOINTMENT OFFICE,

February 25, 1865.

Respectfully submitted to the Secretary of War.

So much of this communication as refers to Wigfall is impracticable. Being only a cadet in the C. S. Army, he does not come under the provisions of the act cited within, authorizing the President to confer temporary rank, &c.

By order:

ED. A. PALFREY,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.

[Third indorsement.]

MARCH 3, 1865.

ADJUTANT-GENERAL:

Return to General Rosser asking attention to your indorsement. By command of the Secretary of War:

SAML. W. MELTON,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[Fourth indorsement.]

BUREAU OF ADJT. AND INSP. GEN., APPOINTMENT OFFICE,

March 11, 1865.

Respectfully returned to Major Gen. T. L. Rosser, inviting his attention to indorsement from this office of 25th of February, 1865, which is approved by the Secretary of War.

By command of the Secretary of War:

ED. A. PALFREY,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,

Raleigh, February 11, 1865.

Hon. S. R. MALLORY,

Secretary of the Navy:

SIR: On examining a printed copy of your letter to me of the 28th of December, ultimo, sent me by a member of Congress, I find that I had committed the mistake of attributing to Captain Pinkney certain offensive expressions which were only used by one. J. A. Willard, naval coal agent. I was led into this by the following language in your letter: "Captain Pinkney, C. S. Navy, &c., forwards the following report," and by not noticing the signatures closely at the end of the quotation. I have the honor, therefore, to beg that you will consider the correspondence on my part amended by striking out the words "Captain Pinkney" wherever they occur and the insertion of