Lieutenant-General HARDEE, CHARLESTON, S. C., December 13, 1864. Savannah, Ga. : About 450 men will be sent you to-day with instructions to General Jones to divert them, if necessary, to defenses of New River and those east of Screven's Ferry Causeway. These re-enforcements are the last you and Jones, who is subject to your orders, can hope for. Keep yourself well advised, through staff officers and otherwise, of his ability to hold your communication, for Savannah must be held only so long as is consistent with the safety of its garrison. G. T. BEAUREGARD, General. Maj. Gen. L. McLAWS: SAVANNAH, December 13, 1864. GENERAL: Your dispatch of to-day in regard to communicating with Fort McAllister reached me this evening. Prior to its reception a telegram had been received from Beaulieu announcing the fall of the fort. It was carried by assault near sundown, after severe and continuous fighting throughout the day. A subsequent dispatch from the commanding officer at Rosedew states that a communication by signal had been received from Fort McAllister, without signature, reporting the loss of the work and representing the officers unhurt, with the exception of Captain Morrison, reported wounded. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, EDWARD C. ANDERSON, Colonel, Commanding. HEADQUARTERS, Maj. Gen. JOSEPH WHEELER: Savannah, Ga., December 13, 1864. I am instructed by Lieutenant-General Hardee to repeat that he considers it important that a force of your command should be promptly transferred to the vicinity of Hardeeville for the security of that depot and to protect his line of communication, which may be threatened from New River as well as from the Savannah. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, T. B. ROY, Assistant Adjutant-General. Maj. Gen. J. WHEELER, PURYSBURG, December 13, 1864. Commanding Cavalry Corps: I have received your request of this day's date to cross troops of your command over the Savannah River at Sister's Ferry. I will proceed promptly and effect the object of your request. Very respectfully, W W. HUNTER, Flag Officer. Maj. Gen. SAMUEL JONES: CHARLESTON, December 13, 1864-1 p. m. Your attention is specially called again to safety of defenses on New River and east of the Screven's Ferry Causeway; they are as essential to safety of forces in Savannah as the position you now hold. Send in time [to] those points any re-enforcements required to hold them; about 450 men are being sent to-day to General Hardee; you are au thorized to divert them to those points if necessary. G. T. BEAUREGARD. Major STRINGFELLOW: COOSAWHATCHIE, December 13, 1864. There is no change in immediate front. Enemy is very busy cutting an avenue from his battery on his extreme left to command the railroad just below this point. He was, I think, hauling heavy guns last night, from the noise and the urging on of animals heard all night. It is too foggy to observe the number of vessels. Major STRINGFELLOW, W. B. TALIAFERRO, COOSA WHATCHIE, December 13, 1864. Assistant Adjutant-General: The enemy are shelling the Dawson Bluff battery and the railroad in vicinity of these headquarters from a battery on Gregory's Neck. Send an engineer to strengthen the works at Dawson Bluff at once. W. B. TALIAFERRO, Brigadier-General, Commanding. POCOTALIGO, December 13, 1864-4.30 p. m. Brig. Gen. W. B. TALIAFERRO, Coosawhatchie: General Young has just telegraphed that the enemy has crossed the river at Taylor's, and are eight miles of Red Bluff. Send the men and the three pieces of artillery to Hardeeville, and notify General Young. By order: Maj. C. S. STRINGFELLOW, CHAS. S. STRINGFELLOW, GRAHAMVILLE, December 13, 1864. Assistant Adjutant-General: Fleet report: One ship of the line, one steam frigate, one sloop of war, one cutter, four gun-boats, eight armed vessels, forty-six sail transports, one ocean steamer, five river and tug boats; total transports, fifty-two; grand total, sixty. The river boats actively plying among the fleet off Hilton Head; four schooners going seaward, no troops aboard. No boats passed down Broad River this a. m. R. J. BROWNFIELD, Lieutenant and Signal Officer. General JONES: GRAHAMVILLE, December 13, 1864. Brigadier-General Young asks for 100 men and a section of artillery to attack some men who have landed on Huger's and Rutledge's plantations, on Savannah River. I earnestly request that you send Captain Heyward's company of cavalry and section of horse artillery now with General Taliaferro. Please answer. JAS CHESNUT, JR., EIGHT MILES FROM PURYSBURG CROSSING, General SAMUEL JONES: December 13, 1864—2 p. m. The enemy have crossed the river at Taylor's plantation, within eight miles of Red Bluff. Let the troops come at once, with any train you can get, and as many more troops as you can spare. The enemy have cavalry. P. M. B. YOUNG, HARDEEVILLE, December 13, 1864-10.30 p.m. General SAMUEL JONES: Just returned from Taylor's and Rutledge's plantations. The enemy, with a small force, had crossed to the mainland. We easily drove them off. There is a force, I think small, on Argyle Island yet. I will drive them off to-morrow if I can. By telegram received to-day Lieutenant-General Hardee reports that enemy carried Fort McAllister by assault yesterday afternoon, and is making preparation to attack Rosedew in reverse. His scouts report an increase in number of steamers and sail vessels about Fort Pulaski and of the force on Tybee Island. All quiet about Coosawhatchie. G. T. BEAUREGARD, General, Col. J. C. IVES, Aide-de-Camp: RICHMOND, VA., December 14, 1864. SIR: You will proceed to Charleston and report to General Beauregard. Your familiarity with the defenses and localities now threatened by the enemy will be of service to him. You will keep me advised from there, either by telegraph or mail, of what is transpiring in that quarter. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, JEFF'N DAVIS. SPECIAL FIELD ORDERS, } HEADQUARTERS, Savannah, December 14, 1864. III. Major-General Wheeler is charged with the defense of the line east of Screven's Ferry Causeway and along New River to Hardeeville. Reports connected with the defense of that line will be made to these headquarters, and also to Major-General Jones, commanding on the Charleston and Savannah Railroad. By order of Lieutenant-General Hardee: D. H. POOLE, Assistant Adjutant-General. HARDEEVILLE, December 14, 1864—6.45 p. m. General SAMUEL JONES: There are a good many of the enemy on Argyle Island; several hundred can be seen. They are running all the rice mills on the island. I intended to go down and attack them all along the line with artillery and sharpshooters to-morrow, I will not be able to do much if you take away the section you ordered me to send back; it was six miles off when I got the order, but it is coming back, and will leave here by 10 o'clock, unless you permit me to retain it for two days. We skir mished a little to-day. The enemy were at Chisholm's plantation, two miles from railroad bridge. I could use twelve pieces to great advan tage to-morrow if I had them. Answer. P. M. B. YOUNG, Col. JOHN B. SALE, CHARLESTON, December 15, 1864. Military Secretary, Richmond: My services not being longer needed in this department I shall leave this evening for Wilmington and resume my command. Sherman has opened communication with his new base by the Ogeechee. The means to meet him do not exceed one-half the estimate in yours of the 7th instant. Notify Mrs. B. of my return, and wish for her and Major Cuthbert to join me in Wilmington, the latter temporarily. BRAXTON BRAGG. General S.-COOPER: CHARLESTON, December 15, 1864. If enemy take Savannah it is evident that by using the river as a base he may cut the Augusta railroad at many points, and Charleston would then become soon after untenable. I have ordered river obstructed at many points. G. T. BEAUREGARD, General. General S. COOPER, CHARLESTON, December 15, 1864. Adjutant and Inspector General: Lieutenant-General Hardee has nothing new to report to day. There are 5,000 prisoners at Thomasville, Ga., that should be removed to Andersonville. Will you please give the necessary orders. G. T. BEAUREGARD. CHARLESTON, December 15, 1864. General S. COOPER: General Hardee reports at Savannah, on 9th, his effectives of all arms at about 10,000. General Jones reports from Pocotaligo, on 12th, his effectives of all arms at about 5,500. There is no report from General Wheeler, but his forces must be about 3,000. G. T. BEAUREGARD, General. General S. COOPER: CHARLESTON, December 15, 1864. General Beauregard has ordered rations for 15,000 men for sixty days to be collected in Charleston. Am informed depot commissary has on hand 500,000 pounds of sugar; large portion ordered to Richmond. In present deficiency of meat rations cannot the sugar be detained here for General Hardee? H. W. FEILDEN, Assistant Adjutant-General. General S. COOPER: CHARLESTON, December 15, 1864. My instructions to Lieutenant-General Hardee are based on the fact that, having no army of relief to look to, it is more important, after proper resistance, to save our troops and material than to sacrifice all by too protracted defense. I desire being informed if these instructions are approved by the War Department, and are applicable to Charleston as well as Savannah. G. T. BEAUREGARD, General. |