General S. COOPER, CHARLESTON, December 30, 1864. Adjutant and Inspector General: Your telegram ordering all artisans to be returned to their employments has been received. The Naval and Arsenal Battalions had already been returned. Your order will take away all of Wright's division except four small companies. That division is holding an important position. I earnestly urge that you send 1,400 men to replace it. I have already been weakened by the return of the heavy artillerists to Wilmington. W. J. HARDEE, Lieutenant-General. Brig. Gen. L. S. BAKER, Goldsborough, N. C.: WILMINGTON, December 30, 1864. If nothing active in your district prevents, proceed to Richmond and report to Colonel Sale, my private secretary. After a full conference with the President on the condition in Georgia and South Carolina return and resume your command. BRAXTON BRAGG. Col. JOHN B. SALE, WILMINGTON, December 30, 1864. Military Secretary, Richmond: Believing the President will be gratified to know the exact state of affairs in Georgia and South Carolina, I have ordered Brig. Gen. L. S. Baker, who has returned from there disabled for the field by his old wound, to proceed to Richmond and report to you. Obtain an early interview for him. He passed through all the scenes from Augusta to the evacuation of Savannah, and can report fully; and it is very important the exact state of affairs now should be known. BRAXTON BRAGG. GENERAL ORDERS, HDQRS. DEPT. OF S. C., GA., AND FLA., Charleston, S. C., December 30, 1864. No. 92. I. The allowance of field transportation for the troops in this department will be as follows: 1. Division headquarters: For general and all staff officers, two fourhorse wagons for baggage, one four-horse wagon for forage, one fourhorse forge, one two-horse ambulance. 2. Brigade transportation: For general and staff officers at brigade headquarters, one four-horse wagon for baggage, &c., and one twohorse ambulance; brigade forage, one four-horse wagon; brigade, one four-horse forge; commissary scales and implements for butchering for brigade, one four-horse wagon; field, staff, and company officers of each regiment, one four-horse wagon; cooking utensils for every 300 men, one four-horse wagon; every 300 men, one two-horse ambulance; brigade medical supplies, one four-horse wagon; brigade intrenching tools, one four-horse wagon. 3. To each brigade there will be attached an ordnance train of fourhorse wagons sufficient to carry sixty extra rounds of ammunition per man, each wagon carrying fifteen boxes of ammunition. This ordnance train will be in the immediate charge of the brigade ordnance officer, and all the brigade trains of each division in charge of the division ordnance officer. 4. Battalion of light artillery: Battalion headquarters, one twohorse wagon; each battalion, one four-horse forge; officers and men of each battery of light artillery, one four-horse wagon; forage for each battery, two four-horse wagons; extra ammunition for battery, one four-horse wagon; battalion medical supplies, one two-horse wagon;, each battery, one two-horse ambulance. II. This order shall apply to the cavalry of this department, with the following modification: Two four-horse wagons will be allowed to every 100 effective men for forage. III. The load of a four-horse wagon will not exceed 1,700 pounds. IV. All transportation and ambulances in excess of the above allowance will be at once turned in to the chief quartermaster. Requisitions will be made to supply deficiencies. By order of Lieutenant-General Hardee: T. B. ROY, Assistant Adjutant-General. SPECIAL ORDERS, HDQRS. DEPT. OF S. C., GA., AND FLA., * Charleston, S. C., December 30, 1864. IX. Maj. Gen. G. W. Smith will have command of a geographical district which will include Augusta and Millen, in Georgia, and Branchville, in South Carolina. He will proceed at once to construct defenses at Branchville. By command of Lieutenant-General Hardee: H. W. FEILDEN, Assistant Adjutant-General. Major-General MOLAWS, HEADQUARTERS FISER'S BRIGADE, Commanding, &c.: GENERAL: I sent a regiment at daylight this morning near Tullifinny bridge, and I sent an officer in the direction of the railroad trestle. Found the left of Harrison's line about three-quarters of a mile above Tullifinny bridge. I have connected with the line on my right. Have seen nor heard nothing of the regiment commanded by Colonel Cumming. I suppose you do not intend me to consider myself in command of any line beyond the Tullifinny. If you deem it at all probable that the enemy will advance either by way of Mackay's Point road or the various roads crossing the Tullifinny and leading to the railroad, I would respectfully suggest that you send a regiment or so to occupy from Old Pocotaligo to Frampton farm, and allow me to extend my right, so as to more effectually protect the railroad and Colonel Harri son's rear. Captain Barnwell opened on the enemy this morning from Lawton's farm, but was compelled to withdraw with the loss of 1 man mortally wounded, himself and 2 men slightly. I wish you would ride if convenient. over, I I am, sir, your obedient servant, JNO. C. FISER, Colonel, Commanding Brigade. Major-General WHEELER, CHARLESTON, December 30, 1864. Hardeeville: General Hardee desires the two rifled 24-pounders from Red Bluff sent to Adams' Run Station. GENERAL ORDERS, HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY CORPS, I. Until further orders the following will be the allowance of transportation of this corps: For corps headquarters: For baggage, two four-horse wagons; quartermaster and commissary of subsistence stores, two four-horse wagons; forage, one four-horse wagon; forge, one four-horse wagon; medical supplies, one four-horse wagon; ambulance, one two-horse wagon. Division headquarters: Baggage, one four-horse wagon; quartermas ter and commissary of subsistence stores, one four-horse wagon; forage, one four-horse wagon; transportation for three days' rations for every 600 men, one six-horse wagon; medical supplies, one two-horse wagon. Brigade headquarters: Baggage, one four-horse wagon; quartermaster and commissary of subsistence stores, one four-horse wagon; medical supplies, one two-horse wagon; forage, one four-horse wagon; ordnance for each 400 muskets, one four-horse wagon. Regiments: Officers' baggage, including desks, money boxes, and medical supplies, one four-horse wagon; each 400 men present for duty for cooking utensils, one four-horse wagon; each 100 animals for forage, one four-horse wagon; ambulance, one two-horse wagon. Artillery with cavalry: Each battery, baggage for officers, cooking utensils, and extra harness, one four-horse wagon; forage, one fourhorse wagon; forge, one four-horse wagon. Ordnance: 12-pounder howitzer battery, four guns, two four-horse wagons; Napoleon, three four-horse wagons; battery of rifled guns (four), one four-horse wagon. Batteries artillery: Extra harness, instead of battery wagons, with wagons, one four-horse wagon; forge, two four-horse wagons; ambulauce, two two-horse wagons. II. All mules and wagons in excess of the above allowance will be immediately turned in to Capt. S. E. Norton, chief quartermaster of this corps. III. Captain Norton, chief quartermaster, will immediately form the mules and wagons thus turned in with a general supply train, and place the train thus formed in charge of one or more assistant quartermasters as the number of wagons may require to be used as the major-general commanding may direct. By order of Major-General Wheeler: HENRY CHAPMAN, Lieutenant and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General. Lieut. M. G. HUDSON:] HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY DIVISION, LIEUTENANT: I will move to-morrow morning back to the Statesborough and Hudson's Ferry road. I intend making my headquarters at Doctor Longstreet's. My picket-line will extend from Ebenezer to No. 3, Central railroad. I can forage the command here no longer. Every exertion has been made to keep as close up as possible. No news from the enemy. They are making no movement in this direction. My scouts go within six miles of Savannah. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, ALFRED IVERSON, Lieut. Col. J. G. TUCKER, RICHMOND, VA., December 30, 1864. Commanding First Foreign Battalion, Columbia, S. C.: Report immediately with your command to Lieutenant-General Hardee for duty. S. COOPER, Adjutant and Inspector General. CHARLESTON, December 31, 1864. General S. COOPER, Adjutant and Inspector General: I respectfully suggest that Augusta be placed in General Hardee's department, owing to breaks in railroad and its immediate connection with defense of South Carolina. I am unable to leave before to-morrow morning. General S. COOPER, G. T. BEAUREGARD, General. CHARLESTON, December 31, 1864. Adjutant and Inspector General : I should have stated in telegram of this a. m., in relation to status of Augusta, that General Hardee has now under his command nearly all available forces in Georgia, which he requires also for defense of South Carolina. XXVIII. Maj. Gen. Samuel Jones, Provisional Army, C. S., is assigned to the command of the District of Florida, in the Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Comdg., Dept. of S. C., Ga., and Fla., Charleston, S. C.: GENERAL: I inclose herewith a copy of a telegram received to-day from the President, relieving me, at my request, of the general command of the Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. My presence is absolutely required at this moment at Montgomery and with the Army of Tennessee, and I am unable to inform you when I will be able to return in this direction. The interruption of railroad communication might render it impracticable to get back in time to be of assistance to you, should you require my aid suddenly. The telegram of the President not being explicit as to the status of Augusta, I have requested that it should be included in your department, as you now have under you the whole of Wheeler's cavalry and nearly all the available forces of Georgia, which are also required by you for the defense of South Carolina. The defense of this city is so intimately connected with that of the western portion of this State that you will consider it within the limits of your department until further orders from the War Department. I have already given you all the verbal instructions possible for the defense of Charleston and this State. The answer of the War Department, not yet received, to my telegram of the 27th instant will determine whether, in the event of evacuating this city, you will retire toward Georgia or North Carolina as a base. The first is your natural base; but should you have reason to expect large re-enforcements from the latter State, you should of course retire in that direction. You will apply to the defense of Charleston the same principle applied to that of Savannah-that is, defend it as long as compatible with the safety of your forces. Having no reason at present to expect succor from an army of relief, you must save your troops for the defense of South Carolina and Georgia. The fall of Charleston would necessarily be a terrible blow to the Confederacy, but its fall with the loss of its brave garrison would be still more fatal to our cause. You will, however, make all the preparation necessary for the possible evacuation of the city and "clear your decks for action." Should it not take place, the trouble and expense of transportation will amount to little; but should you be compelled to evacuate the city when unprepared, the loss of public property would be incalculable. All the cotton in the city should be removed, and if any be in the city at the time of its evacuation it must be destroyed. As already instructed, you should organize all your troops for the field, collecting sufficient transportation, ammunition, and provisions for an 64 R R-VOL XLIV |