Maj. Gen. S. JONES: CHARLESTON, December 11, 1864—6 p. m. Should enemy begin to retire from your front send re-enforcements called for by General Hardee and to lines of Fourth and Fifth SubDistricts, especially the latter; in that event call in time for transportation. G. T. BEAUREGARD, General, Commanding. POCOTALIGO, December 11, 1864-8 p. m. General G. T. BEAUREGARD, Charleston: My engineer officer reports enemy strongly intrenched, both flanks and rear of works protected by thickly wooded swamp. I cannot collect more than 1,200 good infantry for the attack, and I have not yet reliable information of their numerical strength. Chesnut reports transport with troops passed down by Hazzard's Point this morning; thinks they are going to Red Bluff or New River bridge. I have directed him to send guard there. General Young has gone to Hardeeville; says General Hardee ordered him to take command of all cavalry on this side of Savannah River. That interferes with brigade organization here and I have ordered him back. SAM. JONES, Major-General. COOSAWHATCHIE, December 11, 1864-1.40 p. m. Major-General JONES: The enemy is reported throwing out skirmishers down the Coosawhatchie River, with his right a few hundred yards below the county bridge. I have made the proper disposition to meet him. B. H. ROBERTSON, Brigadier-General. [Indorsement.] A cipher telegram from Charleston needs attention. What you have to do must be executed at once or a considerable part of your means will be taken away. C. S. S. Major-General JONES: COOSAWHATCHIE, December 11, 1864. The enemy was only establishing a picket along the river. When is General Taliaferro coming? POCOTALIGO, December 11, 1864-10.45 a. m. Brig. Gen. JAMES CHESNUT, Grahamville: So far as yet known position of enemy same as yesterday evening. Pickets in your front and toward Bluffton must be on alert, and give earliest information of any movement of enemy in that direction. Send without delay by special courier return showing name of each organization and its commander, and the effective strength of each. SAM. JONES, Major-General. GRAHAMVILLE, December 11, 1864—2.45 p, m. General SAMUEL JONES: JAS. CHESNUT, JR. Col. JOHN B. SALE: AUGUSTA, December 12, 1864. The telegraph having been cut we get nothing from Savannah. A dispatch from Wheeler gives copy of enemy's order for the line of investment around Savannah. It is about eight miles from the city, and was to have been reached on 9th. BRAXTON BRAGG. CHARLESTON, December 12, 1864—11.30 p. m. General S. COOPER, Adjutant and Inspector General : (Received 9.45 13th.) Lieutenant-General Hardee reports enemy developed in strong force along his entire front yesterday, and that he has been compelled to extend his lines. He asks for immediate re-enforcements. G. T. BEAUREGARD, Major-General McLAWS, GENERAL: Yours of 9 p. m., inclosing a dispatch from BrigadierGeneral Mercer, has been received, and I am directed by LieutenantGeneral Hardee to say, in reply, that, in case of an attack on General Mercer's right, he hopes you will be able to give him more assistance than that indicated in your dispatch. His impression is that you have the Eighteenth Georgia Regulars in reserve. The general considers it unadvisable to withdraw Miller's company from Thunderbolt. Upon consultation with the engineers it has been decided that neither of the canal bridges would bear the weight of the Blakely gun, and Colonel Jones has sent you two field pieces from Hamilton's battalion instead. Four of the rockets required have been sent to you, and the remainder will be taken by the bearer of this dispatch. Very respectfully, general, your obedient servant, T. B. ROY, Assistant Adjutant-General. GENERAL FIELD ORDERS, } HDQRS. MCLAWS' DIVISION, No. 1. Telfair Place, December 12, 1864. I. The staff of the major-general commanding is announced as follows: Maj. J. S. Williams, assistant inspector-general; Capt. R. W. B. Elliott, assistant adjutant-general; Capt. M. P. King, assistant inspector-general; Capt. G. B. Lamar, aide-de-camp and acting assistant adjutant-general; Capt. A. Huguenin, aide-de-camp; Capt. J. A. Maxwell, acting chief artillery and ordnance; Surg. John D. Patton, chief surgeon division; Capt. N. B. Brown, chief quartermaster. II. The headquarters of the division are for the present located at Telfair Place. By order of Maj. Gen. L. McLaws: Governor BONHAM, Columbia, S. C.: R. W. B. ELLIOTT, Assistant Adjutant-General. RICHMOND, VA., December 12, 1864. Yours of the 11th instant received. I have for some time realized the importance of adding veteran troops to the force assembled to resist Sherman, and have corresponded with General Lee on the subject. The recent operations of the enemy have increased the previously entertained estimate of the danger of detaching troops from the Army of Virginia. My anxiety will render me prompt to respond to your request should it become practicable to do so, and General Lee will in no degree withhold any further assistance which he can give consistently with the safety of his position. General B. BRAGG, Augusta: JEFF'N DAVIS. POCOTALIGO, December 12, 1864. General Jones is out inspecting his lines in front. Will deliver your dispatch on his return. General Beauregard is in Charleston. No news from Savannah to-day. Enemy reported to have burned trestle at Savannah River yesterday. Heavy cannonading heard here. The route to Savannah by Hardeeville and Screven's Ferry was open last evening, and I presume is still. Enemy still in our immediate front in force. Respectfully, CHAS. S. STRINGFELLOW, General SAM. JONES: CHARLESTON, December 12, 1864. Have rice fields, as ordered, been overflowed? Send a reliable officer to break and destroy the roads to the Savannah River through the rice fields. He can get negro labor from planters. G. T. BEAUREGARD, General. General SAMUEL JONES: CHARLESTON, December 12, 1864. If the enemy be too strongly fortified in your front to be dislodged complete your own intrenchments, and send at once re-enforcements to New River, Red Bluff, and points east of Screven's Ferry Causeway where enemy might land. Your action relative to General Young must be referred to General Hardee. G. T. BEAUREGARD, General. CHARLESTON, December 12, 1864. Major-General JONES: Lieutenant-Colonel Brown's detachment and battery are sent for attack, if it takes place; otherwise, to replace for forty-eight hours troops you may have sent to protect points on New River. G. T. BEAUREGARD, General. CHARLESTON, December 12, 1864-7 p. m. Maj. Gen. SAMUEL JONES: The boats are completed only for rowing. No track has even [been] made for pontoon, nor can lumber be had without delay. Will send boats and oars as ferries unless I hear further. If lumber can be had will forward. All well. W. H. ECHOLS, Major, &c. Major-General JONES: HARDEEVILLE, December 12, 1864. There is a guard of fifty men at the bridge; the bridge has been destroyed. A party of Yankees from Sherman's army landed at Hayward's plantation_to-day; destroyed some houses, and scouts report they have gone. It seems to me that this is the most important place just now. Can you send some troops here, with some artillery? Sherman must be aware that our only communication with Savannah is by Screven's Ferry. He will do all in his power to cut it; I believe he is doing it now. If my opinion is worth anything I should say intrench where you are, and come here with all that can be spared. I hope you will urge upon the railroad men the necessity of keeping at least two trains this side Coosawhatchie. If I had an engine I would run up and have a talk with you. I will execute your orders at once. Most respectfully, Col. JOHN B. SALE: AUGUSTA, December 13, 1864. I go to Charleston to-morrow to see General Beauregard, at his request. He has assigned me to duty. BRAXTON BRAGG. RICHMOND, VA., December 13, 1864. General G. T. BEAUREGARD, Charleston, S. C.: I have anxiously desired to send re-enforcements, but events have rendered it impracticable to add to those forwarded some time since. Should a change of circumstances render it possible to do more no time will be lost in doing so. Should the enemy's fleet be detached for operations against Savannah the opportunity will be presented for our squadron at Charleston to assume the offensive, and perhaps to destroy his depot at Port Royal. General G. T. BEAUREGARD, JEFF'N DAVIS. RICHMOND, VA., December 13, 1864. Charleston, S. C.: Your last dispatch was communicated to General Lee. He replies as follows: Every available man at the South should now be sent to Savannah. As long as Grant retains his present force here I do not think this army (Northern Virginia) can be weakened. If he withdraws any part I can detach proportionately. If the Department thinks otherwise I will send whatever it directs. General S. COOPER: CHARLESTON, December 13, 1864-9.15 p. m. General Hardee reports to-day from Savannah enemy felt his lines sharply Saturday and Sunday, but was comparatively quiet yesterday and has made no serious demonstration to-day. A battery opened yes terday on Fort McAllister, and Major Anderson expected to be attacked to-day by a column along right bank of Ogeechee. General Jones reports nothing new on line of Savannah railroad. No reports from General Hood since the 28th ultimo. BEAUREGARD, General. |