more than equaled his expectation, and the more so because a large portion of the brigade consists of recruits who have had but little opportunity for drill or exercise in the manual. General Sherman was much gratified, saying that the brigade was "a fine body of men." While thanking the command for having acquitted themselves thus well, the general would remind them it is only by improving every leisure opportunity, and especially the present one, in constant drill and the manual, that they can preserve to the brigade the reputation they have gained. By order of Brig. Gen. W. W. Belknap: Brig. Gen. N. J. JACKSON, O. D. KINSMAN, Assistant Adjutant-General. HEADQUARTERS TWENTIETH CORPS, Commanding First Division: GENERAL: The Third Division is ordered to cross the river early to morrow morning. The general commanding the corps directs that you take up, at daybreak to-morrow morning, in addition to the line you now hold, that now held by the Third Division. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, GENERAL ORDERS, No. 172. H. W. PERKINS, Assistant Adjutant-General. HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH, Col. C. L. Kilburn, assistant commissary-general of subsistence, U. S. Army, having reported at these headquarters in compliance with Special Orders, No. 431, paragraph 47, current series, from the War Department, dated Adjutant-General's Office, Washington, D. C., December 5, 1864, is hereby announced as chief commissary of subsistence of this department, and will be obeyed and respected accordingly. By command of Maj. Gen. J. G. Foster: W. L. M. BURGER, Assistant Adjutant-General. HDQRS. NORTHERN DISTRICT, DEPT. OF THE SOUTH, Capt. W. L. M. BURGER, Assistant Adjutant-General, Department of the South: CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report that nothing of importance has occurred in this command since my last communication. Five deserters of the First South Carolina Infantry from Sullivan's Island and one of the Second South Carolina Artillery from James' Island have come into our lines. The general information brought by these men is the same as is already in our possession. They state that the details from the troops on Sullivan's Island that had been sent to Pocotaligo and Savannah (only about 150 men) returned last week. They represent a depressed, dispirited feeling as existing amongst officers and men, and give various rumors that are flying about camp which teud to corrobo rate this. The enemy continues fatigue work on some of his batteries on James Island, and especially on the new batteries near Stono River on John's Island. As regards sending Mrs. Thomas and her daughters across our lines by flag of truce, I endeavored to communicate with the enemy in the harbor on the first day of the ladies' arrival here, but my flag of truce was not accepted. Yesterday was too stormy to admit of meeting in the harbor, and to-day I propose to send a flag of truce over from Cole's Island and endeavor to effect the transfer there. I have the honor to be, respectfully, your obedient servant, A. SCHIMMELFENNIG, Brigadier-General, Commanding District. PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL.] HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, Maj. Gen. W. T. SHERMAN, Savannah: MY DEAR GENERAL: I take the liberty of calling your attention, in this private and friendly way, to a matter which may possibly hereafter be of more importance to you than either of us may now anticipate. While almost every one is praising your great march through Georgia and the capture of Savannah, there is a certain class, having now great influence with the President, and very probably anticipating still more on a change of Cabinet, who are decidedly disposed to make a point against you--I mean in regard to "Inevitable Sambo." They say that you have manifested an almost criminal dislike to the negro, and that you are not willing to carry out the wishes of the Government in regard to him, but repulse him with contempt. They say you might have. brought with you to Savannah more than 50,000, thus stripping Georgia of that number of laborers and opening a road by which as many more could have escaped from their masters; but that instead of this you drove them from your ranks, prevented them from following you by cutting the bridges in your rear, and thus caused the massacre of large numbers by Wheeler's cavalry. To those who know you as I do such accusations will pass as the idle winds, for we presume that you discouraged the negroes from following you simply because you had not the means of supporting them and feared they might seriously embarrass your march. But there are others, and among them some in high authority, who think, or pretend to think, otherwise, and they are decidedly disposed to make a point against you. I do not write this to induce you to conciliate this class of men by doing anything which you do not think right and proper and for the interest of the Government and the country, but simply to call your attention to certain things which are viewed here somewhat differently than from your standpoint. I will explain as briefly as possible: Some here think that, in view of the scarcity of labor in the South, and the probability that a part, at least, of the able-bodied slaves will be called into the military service of the rebels, it is of the greatest importance to open outlets by which the slaves can escape into our lines, and, they say, that the route you have passed over should be made the route of escape and Savannah the great place of refuge. These I know are the views of some of the leading men in the administration, and they now express dissatisfaction that you did not carry them out in your great raid. *General Sherman's reply of January 12, 1865, refers to this letter as dated January 1st, but General Halleck's copy is dated as here given, Now that you are in possession of Savannah, and there can be no further fears about supplies, would it not be possible for you to reopen these avenues of escape for the negroes without interfering with your military operations? Could not such escaped slaves find, at least, a partial supply of food in the rice fields about Savannah, and occupation in the rice and cotton plantations on the coast? I merely throw out these suggestions; I know that such a course would be approved by the Government, and I believe that a manifestation on your part of a desire to bring the slaves within our lines will do much to silence your opponents. You will appreciate my motives in writing this private letter. H. W. HALLECK. Maj. Gen. M. C. MEIGS, SAVANNAH, GA., December 30, 1864. Quartermaster-General U. S. Army, Washington, D. C.: GENERAL: I am instructed by Major-General Sherman to say that he wishes to accumulate at this place as soon as possible sixty days' forage for 35,000 animals. We have to-day but one day's grain on hand and none in the sound or river. I understand there is a ship-load at Hilton Head. I sent a steamer last night to tow the ship to this place, and hope she will be at the bar before we are entirely out. The corps quartermasters are slow in getting in their estimates for supplies. I send you inclosed an estimate of clothing and camp equipage which I require in addition to what you have already sent to Hilton Head and Pensacola. I will be glad to get the clothing mentioned on this estimate as soon as possible. I have sent to Pensacola for the clothing you sent to that point. I will try and send you an estimate of quartermaster's stores by next mail. Supplies should be sent to this place, if possible, in vessels not drawing over thirteen feet water; if larger vessels are sent the freight will have to be traus-shipped to small steamers. We want here very much a light class of steamers and Schuylkill barges for the purpose of removing freight from heavy-draft vessels lying at the roadstead below this place, and communicating from here to Hilton Head, and through other inland passages. I will be glad if you will send me six steamers suitable for this purpose. The class of boats most needed are high-pressure, double-engine boats, of wide beam and very light draft. I desire, also, that you send me twenty Schuylkill barges, six of them to be double-deckers or pleasure barges. The steamers we now have here are not suitable for our purpose, as there is only four feet water at low tide on the bar in the south channel, which we are compelled to use owing to obstructions in the north channel. Admiral Dahlgren reports that these obstructions cannot be removed. I am preparing to give them a trial myself, and hope I will succeed. I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant, L. C. EASTON, Brevet Brigadier-General, Chief Quartermaster. By sending vessels around through Wassaw Sound we can get about thirteen feet water up to this place at high tide. Order forward the sixty days' grain as rapidly as possible. L. C. EASTON, Quartermaster. GENERAL ORDERS, No. 60. HDQRS. FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS, Maj. Maxwell Woodhull, assistant adjutant-general, U. S. Volunteers, having reported in accordance with paragraph VI, Special Field Orders, No. 208, headquarters Department and Army of the Tennessee, is hereby assigned to duty as assistant adjutant-general at these headquarters, and will be obeyed and respected accordingly. By command of Maj. Gen. P. Joseph Osterhaus: H. N. WHEELER, Assistant Adjutant-General. GENERAL ORDERS, } HDQRS. FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS, In accordance with paragraph 3, General Orders, No. 59, headquarters Department and Army of the Tennessee, series of 1863, the following-named officers are relieved from duty with their respective commands and are hereby assigned as acting assistant inspectorsgeneral, and will be obeyed and respected accordingly: Capt. Albert Head, Tenth Iowa Volunteers, for Second Brigade, Third Division, Fifteenth Army Corps; Lieut. A. D. Cameron, Seventh Iowa Veteran Volunteers, for Second Brigade, Fourth Division, Fifteenth Army Corps. By command of Maj. Gen. P. Joseph Osterhaus: MAX. WOODHULL, Assistant Adjutant-General. SPECIAL ORDERS, HDQRS. FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS, I. Division commanders will take immediate steps to prevent the destruction of the railroad, telegraph lines, or buildings connected with the same, in the vicinity of their respective camps. GENERAL: The general commanding directs that your division move early to-morrow morning to Hutchinson's Island, where a pontoon bridge will be laid to the South Carolina shore. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, ROBT. P. DECHERT, Captain and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General. HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH, Maj. Gen. H. W. HALLECK, U. S. ARMY, Chief of Staff, Armies of the United States, Washington, D. C.: GENERAL: Availing myself of the opportunity afforded by the sailing of the steamer, I have the honor to inform you that everything in this department is progressing favorably. I have just returned from Savannah, where I left General Sherman with his whole army. Preparations are rapidly being made for offensive operations, and the different corps are being reviewed by General Sherman in person. Supplies are being landed at the city, and although General Easton has not been able to effect his arrangements, yet, by rapid transfer by lighters from the vessels having them on board to the wharves of Savannah, it is expected that this will soon be facilitated so as to meet all demands. The admiral having relinquished his efforts to remove the obstructions in the north channel at the upper end of Elba Island, so as to allow the vessels of sixteen feet draught to go to the city wharves, I have undertaken to do it, and expect to accomplish the work in about three weeks. At present the lighters have to carry the supplies three miles by way of the south channel, which has only five feet of water at low tide. I intend to-morrow to go through Wilming ton River, via Thunderbolt and Saint Augustine Creeks, and expect to be able to find a passage that way for vessels drawing ten feet of water, certainly as far as Thunderbolt, and probably up to the wharves of the city. The supply of forage thus far received here is very inadequate to the wants of General Sherman's army. The commissary supplies have been thus far sufficient. Five or six steamers sent by General Meigs have just arrived and have made the water transportation ample. I have no news of importance to communicate from either of the districts of the department. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, J. G. FOSTER, Major-General, Commanding. HDQRS. NORTHERN DISTRICT, DEPT. OF THE SOUTH, Capt. W. L. M. BURGER, Assistant Adjutant-General, Department of the South: CAPTAIN: I have the honor to inform you that nothing of special interest has occurred in my command since my last report. The inclosed copy of an intercepted dispatch gives the news they had in Charleston this morning with regard to our forces at Wilmington. My outposts report that night before last (the 28th to the 29th) the cars were running frequently on the Charleston and Savannah Railroad to the city. Last night (the 29th-30th) trains seemed to be running to and from the city as often as about once in every forty-five minutes. At about 1 a. m. a band was heard playing on James Island, and also considerable cheering. These indications, of course, lead me to suppose that troops are arriving on or returning to my front. At the request of Admiral Dahlgren, I have given instructions for Fort Strong and Battery Chatfield to throw rifle and mortar shells at intervals during the night to those points in the harbor where the enemy might be supposed to be placing new obstructions. The naval battery will also |