Abstract from field return of the Army of Northern Virginia, General Robert E. Lee, C. S. Army, commanding, for May 20, 1863; headquarters, Fredericksburg, Va.

Present for duty.

Command. Officers Men. Aggregate

present.

General staff. 14 ... 14

First Army Corps (Longstreet):

Staff. 11 ... 11

Anderson's division. 591 6,439 8,891

McLaws' division. 608 6,454 8,416

Pickett's division. 591 5,847 7,640

Hood's division. 671 6,858 8,677

Total First Army Corps. 2,472 25,598 33,635

Second Army Corps (A. P. Hill):

Staff. 15 ... 15

A. P. Hill's division. 758 7,986 11,035

Rodes' division. 583 6,457 8,910

Early's division. 525 5,925 7,907

Johnson's division. 446 4,783 6,356

Total Second Army Corps. 2,327 25,151 34,223

Stuart's Cavalry Division.+ 515 6,524 8,193

Artillery (Pendleton):

First Army Corps. 98 2,015 2,307

Second Army Corps. 109 2,055 2,410

General Reserve. 46 638 786

Total Artillery.++ 253 4,708 5,503

Grand total.# 5,581 61,981 81,568

Command. Aggregate Aggregate

present and present last

absent. field

return.

General staff. 14 13

First Army Corps (Longstreet):

Staff. (*) (*)

Anderson's division. 13,727 8,401

McLaws' division. 12,889 8,041

Pickett's division. 12,113 7,824

Hood's division. 12,573 7,265

Total First Army Corps. 51,302 31,531

Second Army Corps (A. P. Hill):

Staff. 19 10

A. P. Hill's division. 18,430 9,940

Rodes' division. 15,037 8,191

Early's division. 13,081 7,700

Johnson's division. 12,008 5,651

Total Second Army Corps. 58,575 31,492

Stuart's Cavalry Division.+ 11,905 7,426

Artillery (Pendleton):

First Army Corps. 3,015 2,049

Second Army Corps. 3,348 2,264

General Reserve. 916 697

Total Artillery.++ 7,279 5,010

Grand total.# 129,075 75,472

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*Not reported.

+One regiment and one company not reported.

++Dearing's battalion and two batteries on picket not reported.

#Ransom's division (detached) and the Valley District not reported.

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HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA,
May 21, 1863.

Honorable JAMES A. SEDDON,

Secretary of War, Richmond, Va.:

SIR: The desertion of the North Carolina troops from this army is becoming so serous an evil that, unless it can be promptly arrested, I fear the troops from that State will become greatly reduced.

Brigadier-General Lane reports that on the night of the 19th instant 32 men from Company A, Thirty-seventh Regiment North Carolina Volunteers, deserted, taking with them their arms, equipments, ammunition, &c. They had just been paid off. These men are from Ashe County, bordering upon Grayson County, Virginia.

Captain John C. Gorman, Company B, Second Regiment North Carolina troops, states that one of them, of his company, who deserted on the 10th of April last, has voluntarily returned. From him he learns that a great many of the deserters from his brigade cross that James River some 40 or 50 miles above Richmond, at Lumbertown, and the Roanoke at Horse Ford Mills, in Amelia County. If local troops in the neighborhood could guard these fords and others along the rivers, a great many of our deserters might be arrested.