WILMINGTON, N. C., August 7, 1862. Hon. GEORGE W. RANDOLPH: I have just received the following from Goldsborough yesterday: Enemy's gunboats made their appearance in the Neuse, 25 miles above New Berne, this morning. They are 6 miles below Kinston. One is iron-clad. Shelling the woods near the obstructions. I write you to-day. W. S. ASHE. HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA, His Excellency HENRY T. CLARK, Governor of North Carolina : August 8, 1862. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 4th instant. I have been an eye-witness of the outrages and depredations upon private property committed by the enemy in this State, and can fully appreciate what you say of the injuries sustained by the people of North Carolina; nor am I unmindful of the importance of protecting the line of railroad and, as far as practicable, the valuable private interests in the section of country to which you refer. But it is impossible, with the means at our command, to pursue the policy of concentrating our forces to protect important points and baffle the principal efforts of the enemy and at the same time extend all the protec tion we desire to give to every district. The safety of the whole State of North Carolina, as well as of Virginia, depends in a measure upon the result of the enemy's efforts in this quarter, which, if successful, would make your State the theater of hostilities, far more injurious and destructive to your citizens than anything they have yet been called upon to suffer. To prevent effectually the enemy's gunboats from ascending navigable rivers would require not only batteries, but adequate land forces to defend them, which would lead to a subdivision of our forces, from which we could anticipate nothing but disaster. The selection of the troops to be withdrawn from North Carolina was made by General Holmes, who brought the most serviceable because there was most probability of their being used, the enemy being known to be here in great force and it being believed that most of his troops had been withdrawn from North Carolina. The raw troops were left for the additional reason that it was thought they would stand the usual camp diseases better at home than if removed. General Holmes and part of his army left North Carolina before the late battles and participated in them. He brought the brigades of Generals Martin and French because, the enemy being in and upon James River, it was thought proper to provide against any attempt he might make to penetrate North CaroÎina and cut the railroad from the north, which might have been among his designs. With this view General Holmes was ordered back to the south side of the river immediately after the battles, where he was joined by Generals Martin and French. The information received by General Holmes led him to believe, as I do, that the principal part of General Burnside's command had been transferred to Virginia, where I believe they now are. Maj. Gen. D. H. Hill is in command of the district lately commanded by General Holmes, as you will perceive from the inclosed copy of the *Not found. order* assigning him to it. He will no doubt be very glad to confer with you as to the best means of protecting the country you refer to, and I should be most happy if your plan of retaking the places on the coast now held by the enemy can be carried out. I am most anxious to do all in our power to accomplish so desirable a result and extend the best protection to the people our means will permit. I regret to hear what you say of the character of the officers appointed to command the troops in North Carolina. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, R. E. LEE, General. HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA, His Excellency HENRY T. CLARK, Governor of North Carolina, Raleigh, N. C.: August 12, 1862. SIR: I have the honor to inform you that Brig. Gen. J. G. Martin has been assigned to the immediate command of the troops in the State of North Carolina. It is hoped and believed that his position as an officer of the Confederate States Army will in no way interfere with the discharge of the duties devolving upon him in his capacity as Adjutant and Inspector General of the State, and that under his immediate supervision the troops in the State will reach a high degree of efficiency and nothing be neglected which can advance and protect the interests of North Carolina. I have desired that he will render such aid as he can toward collecting and enrolling the men liable to military duty, so that the regiments from the State may be speedily and fully recruited. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, R. E. LEE, General. HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA, Brig. Gen. J. G. MARTIN, Commanding, &c.: GENERAL: I am informed by the Adjutant and Inspector General that your resignation has not been accepted, and that you have been directed to report to me for duty. You will report for further orders to Maj. Gen. D. H. Hill, commanding the Department of North Carolina. I trust you will be enabled to perform the duties, devolving upon you as an officer of the State as well as of the Confederate States. I particularly desire that you will render such assistance as may be in your power, as commanding officer of the Confederate troops in the State, toward collecting and enrolling the men liable to military duty under the act of Congress of April 16, 1862, as it is all important that the ranks of the regiments so reduced by sickness and battle shall be filled. After the old regiments have been recruited the surplus men should be collected in camps of instruction and there organized and prepared for service in the field. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Ŕ. E. LEE, General. * See p. 476. SPECIAL ORDERS, HDQRS. DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA No. * III. Brig. Gen. J. G. Martin is assigned, in accordance with instructions from the General Commanding the Army, to the District of North Carolina, extending from the right banks of the Roanoke to the South Carolina line. Brig. Gen. J. J. Pettigrew will relieve General Martin of the charge of his brigade. Brig. Gen. T. L. Clingman will assume command of the troops at Wilmington, N. C. Brigadier-General Martin will render all the assistance in his power toward collecting and enrolling the men in the State subject to military duty, so that the ranks of the North Carolina regiments may be speedily recruited. After this duty has been done the surplus should be collected at camps of instruction and organized and prepared for active service in the field. By command of Maj. Gen. D. H. Hill: ARCHER ANDERSON, PETERSBURG, August 19, 1862. General S. COOPER: Tell General D. H. Hill that Clingman reports enemy landing at Swansborough from transports. Have been joined by cavalry and ar tillery. S. G. FRENCH. CHAPTER XXI. OPERATIONS IN TEXAS, NEW MEXICO, AND ARIZONA. February 1-September 20, 1862. Feb. Mar. SUMMARY OF THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS. 1862.-The Confederate forces enter New Mexico. 11-13, 1862.-Operations at Aransas Pass, Tex. 2, 1862.-Albuquerque, N. Mex., abandoned by the Union forces. 4, 1862.-Santa Fé, N. Mex., abandoned by the Union forces. 26, 1862.-Skirmish at Apache Cañon, N. Mex. 28, 1862.-Engagement at Glorieta, or Pigeon's Ranch, N. Mex. April 5-6, 1862.—Affair at San Luis Pass, Tex. May 8, 1862. Skirmish at Albuquerque, N. Mex. 13-22, 1862.-Pursuit of the Confederate forces, including skirmish at Peralta, N. Mex., April 15. 13-Sept. 20, 1862.-Expedition from Southern California, through Arizona, to Northwestern Texas and New Mexico. 15, 1862.-Skirmish at Peralta, N. Mex. Skirmish at Picacho Pass, Ariz. 22, 1862.-Capture of Union launches in Aransas Bay, Tex. 25, 1862.-Affair at Socorro, N. Mex. 15, 1862.-Naval demonstration upon Galveston, Tex. 20, 1862.-Tucson, Ariz., occupied by Union forces. 21, 1862.-Affair at Paraje, N. Mex. 23, 1862.-Affair near Fort Craig, N. Mex. 26, 1862.—Texas embraced in Confederate Trans-Mississippi Department. 30, 1862.-Martial law proclaimed in Texas. July Aug. Sept. 18, 1862.-Brig. Gen. Paul O. Hébert, C. S. Army, assumes command of the District of Texas. 4, 1862.—Attack on United States vessels near Velasco, Tex. 7-17, 1862.-Operations in Aransas Bay, Tex. 15, 1862.-Skirmish at Apache Pass, Ariz. 10, 1862.-Affair on the Nueces River, near Fort Clark, Tex. 12, 1862.-Capture of the Breaker and destruction of the Hannah in Corpus Christi Bay, Tex. 16-18, 1862.-Bombardment of Corpus Christi, Tex. 20, 1862.—Texas and Arizona embraced in Trans-Mississippi Department. 1862.-Proclamation declaring martial law in Texas annulled. 13-14, 1862.-Operations at Flour Bluffs, Tex. 18, 1862.-Brig. Gen. James H. Carleton, U. S. Army, supersedes Brig. Gen. E. R. S. Canby in command of the Department of New Mexico. 31 R R-VOL IX (481) FEBRUARY 11-13, 1862.-Operations at Aransas Pass, Tex. REPORTS. No. 1.-Maj. C. G. Forshey, C. S. Army, Engineer of Coast Defenses. No. 2.-Maj. Daniel D. Shea, C. S. Army, commanding Battalion of Artillery. No. 1. Report of Maj. C. G. Forshey, C. S. Army, Engineer of Coast Defenses. CAMP ESPERANZA, PASS CAVALLO, TEX., February 15, 1862. MAJOR AS this command does not report directly to headquarters, at Houston, I take the liberty to report the matters of much interest transpiring on this portion of the coast. The bark reported to you in my letter of the 5th took her position at Aransas Pass, and, landing in two boats her small parties of 20 or 30 men, scared off, it would appear, the companies posted there, assumed many liberties, took beef and mutton at their pleasure, burned several houses, shelled the neighboring islands and sand hills in the moorings, to test the presence of a possible rebel arrival during the night, and made themselves at home there. Major Shea, with detachment of mounted men, went to Aransas, arriving stealthily, with a hope of capturing the party and relieving the citizens from their great annoyance and peril. In this he was not successful. His presence was discovered, and the commander of the bark Afton came into the Pass with three boats and 28 men, out of range of rifles, his splendid rifled guns from the ship shelling the village and Major Shea's command quite across the island. Major Shea protected his men as well as possible in rear of the sand mounds and avoided any serious casualty, though their well-directed shells (thrown directly, and not as from mortars) burst over their heads several times. At a signal from the boats his guns ceased firing, a flag of truce was sent ashore, and a parley asked with Major Shea. The commander then came up and held a long and quite communicative interview with the major; wished to send letters and packages from his prisoners, taken on the McNeill (already reported by me as captured near this pass), to their families; delivered the letters to Judge Talbot's family and others residing in the vicinity; said the prisoners were well and kindly treated, messing at his table, &c. He informed the major that he was well informed of all the defenses, could reach the whole coast with his guns, but was not there to fight, but to stop the trade he saw running by the Pass, and that he would do; that his ship could enter that Pass, and he intended to command it and the bays within; would have the small vessels for the important purposes he had in view, with many other saucy remarks needless to relate. The most mortifying remark, however, was that "if Texans were like those he had seen run away on his approach his handful of men could whip five hundred of them." Major Shea told him that he did not command those men, in answer to the question, but would offer to fight him then, man for man, on shore, and would thank him for the opportunity. He told him, further, that his profession that he did not want to hurt the people or their property was belied by the bombardment of the village, with women and children, burning houses &c. |