Brig. Gen. N. G. EVANS, FEBRUARY 25, 1864. Corner of Cannon and Rutledge Streets, Charleston, S. C.: GENERAL: Your application of the 24th instant to be replaced in command of your brigade is received. It is expected that the regiments composing that brigade will be ordered shortly to another department, in which event I shall not oppose your resumption of command, though I am satisfied the good of the service would be advanced by your exchange to some other brigade. Should, however, circumstances compel its retention in this department in obedience to instructions from the War Department, a board of general officers will be ordered to determine whether the good of the service in this military department admits of your being restored to the command of that brigade. Respectfully, your obedient servant, G. T. BEAUREGARD, CHARLESTON, S. C., February 26, 1864. Brig. Gen. JOHNSON HAGOOD, Royall's, James Island, S. C.: Order one company South Carolina Siege Train (the one with the two 30-pounder Parrott guns), with ample ammunition, five days' rations, and their transportation, to repair at once to Lake City, Fla., and report to the officer commanding at that point. By command General Beauregard: JNO. M. OTEY, Assistant Adjutant-General. FEBRUARY 26, 1864. General MERCER: GENERAL: In connection with the recent attack of the enemy on Whitemarsh Island, I am instructed to convey to you the following suggestions: The garrison on that island should be permanent and made fully acquainted with its topography, and a portion should consist of a company of cavalry, whose rapid movements might, in a measure, counterbalance the very small force that can be spared for its defense. It is also deemed advisable to have a high lookout erected, but concealed as far as practicable from the enemy's observation, and from which a strict watch may be kept on the movements of the enemy from the direction of Wilmington Narrows and Savannah River. At the same time it will be well to adopt some means to insure the rapid conveyance of intelligence to the various picketposts. It is thought that a shorter road should be constructed between Fort Bartow and Thunderbolt Battery. The commanding general is informed that the garrison on Whitemarsh Island was surprised in the recent affair with the enemy; that a company of the Fifty-seventh Georgia Regiment, on picket at Gibbons, showed a want of soldierly conduct and retreated in spite of their captain's commands and efforts. You will please have a strict examination and report made of the facts and forwarded to these headquarters. Respectfully, your obedient servant. THOS. JORDAN. Brig. Gen. H. W. MERCER, CHARLESTON, S. C., February 26, 1864. Savannah, Ga.: Send to Florida that company of the Siege Train that has the two rifled guns complete. By command of General Beauregard : JNO. M. OTEY, CHARLESTON, S. C., February 26, 1864. Brig. Gen. H. W. MERCER, Savannah, Ga. : If the two regiments lately sent you (the Twenty-sixth Virginia and the Holcombe Legion), are not absolutely needed by you, order them to proceed at once to Lake City, Fla., and report to BrigadierGeneral Taliaferro. By command of General Beauregard : JNO. M. OTEY, CHARLESTON, S. C., February 26, 1864. Brig. Gen. H. W. MERCER, Savannah, Ga. : Send the Twenty-sixth Virginia Volunteers to Florida. Hold the Holcombe Legion until further orders. Use the special train if needed. By command of General Beauregard : JNO. M. OTEY, CHARLESTON, S. C., February 26, 1864. Brig. Gen. H. W. MERCER, The Twenty-sixth Virginia Volunteers must go to Florida as ordered. By command of General Beauregard : JNO. M. OTEY, CHARLESTON, S. C., February 26, 1864. Maj. Gen. J. PATTON ANDERSON, Lake City, Fla.: Assume command of the forces in Florida. Troops en route will form another brigade, which, with Finegan's, will give a division to General Gardner, if he feels able to take the field. I expect to be with you soon. G. T. BEAUREGARD, CHARLESTON, S. C., February 26, 1864. When troops reach you, commanding general desires Second Brigade, Gardner's division, to consist of Twenty-sixth and Fifty-ninth Virginia Regiments and Holcombe Legion, for the present. Have no good ordnance officer to send you. Hope you may find efficient one with your command. THOMAS JORDAN, Chief of Staff. CHARLESTON, S. C., February 26, 1864. Brig. Gen. W. M. GARDNER, Lake City, Fla.: I announce that the War Department has sent to command the troops in Florida Maj. Gen. J. Patton Anderson, and transfer the command to him. He will assign you a division. G. T. BEAUREGARD, FEBRUARY 27, 1864. Brig. Gen. JOHNSON HAGOOD, Commanding, &c., James Island. GENERAL: I am instructed to transmit the accompanying "proclamation, "said to have been received by one of our pickets from a picket of the enemy. From Captain Bryan's remarks (see inside), it would appear that communication of this kind is frequently carried on by the pickets on both sides. This is deemed objectionable, and it is the wish of the commanding general that proper steps shall be taken to prevent its recurrence. Respectfully, your obedient servant, E. KEARNY. HDQRS. DIST. OF GA. AND THIRD DIST. OF S. C., Brig. Gen. THOMAS JORDAN, Chief of Staff: GENERAL: I have the honor to state for the information of the commanding general that, in obedience to dispatch received, the Twenty-sixth Virginia Regiment will start for Florida to-day. I would most respectfully represent that this city is now left without any adequate means of defense, and is entirely unable with our present force to resist a serious attack. The heavy withdrawal of troops to Florida leaves me only four regiments, two battalions, two batteries, and several companies for the defense of this city; as nearly all these troops are stationed at fixed batteries from which they cannot be withdrawn with safety, the commanding general *Not found; but supposed to be the amnesty proclamation of the President of the United States of December 8, 1863. will perceive how helpless I am. Upon the recent advance of the enemy on Whitemarsh Island, it was with extreme difficulty that one-fifth of the attacking force could be collected for opposition. I feel it proper to state the true condition of affairs, that the commanding general may act advisedly. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Lieut. Col. A. ROMAN: H. W. MERCER, Brigadier-General, Commanding. SAVANNAH, GA., February 27, 1864. COLONEL: I have the honor to submit for your consideration the following reflections on the defense of East Florida: The principal problem is to cover with a small force the large area of country between the Saint Mary's and Saint John's Rivers on the east and the Gulf coast on the west. Fortification is nearly impracticable on the water approaches, from our scarcity of guns and from the lack of sufficient infantry to support a battery if erected. Fortification is only useful in the interior as a very temporary check to the enemy's advance, the natural obstacles being of short extent and readily flanked by detour. The enemy may land at will under the protection of their gunboats, and their progress for a short distance into the interior cannot be materially checked by the necessarily weak coast guard which would oppose them. The contest with an invading force must therefore be carried on in the open woods and fields where the only advantage of position which could probably be gained by either side would be to have one flank covered by a pond or swamp. The initiative being with the invader he concentrates upon the point chosen by him, and if provided with transportation his advance is irresistible until an adequate force can be gathered to attack him. Our only practicable preparation, therefore, must be in providing facilities for concentrating our troops in his front, taking away or destroying whatever might assist his advance, and having a force on the frontier which would at least worry him on every occasion as soon as the advance began. There is only one way possible of concentrating troops rapidly in East Florida from the points available, namely, by railroad; therefore to make a continuous line of railroad from East Florida to the points whence re-enforcements may be drawn is the most important step which can be taken to defend that country. The coast being barren and thinly settled there is little which can be moved or destroyed there except the line of railroad. This would unquestionably be used by the enemy as a base of supply, and to take away the railroad for at least 20 miles from the coast would materially delay the enemy's advance in force into the interior. To check and harass the enemy's approach from the Atlantic side, a regiment of mounted rifles should be scattered along the coast from the Satilla River in Georgia to Black Creek in Florida, under a bold and vigilant officer, and with the means of crossing the Saint Mary's River by a pontoon bridge, with têtes-de-pont and a small battery to prevent the ascent of gun-boats. There should also be the means of assembling this regiment by telegraph, keeping onehalf in front and the other half at the most practicable central point in reserve. If those portions of railroad near the coast are removed, the enemy will be much less likely to attempt invasion, as one of their chief objects must be to possess themselves of an easy railroad communication between the Gulf and the Atlantic. The removal and construction of these railroad lines might be effected through the engineer department. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, HENRY BRYAN, Major and Assistant Inspector General. [Indorsement.] HEADQUARTERS IN THE FIELD, Camp Milton, Fla., March 10, 1864. The views herein expressed meet with my entire approval. G. T. BEAUREGARD, CHARLESTON, S. C., February 27, 1864. Maj. Gen. J. P. ANDERSON, Lake City, Fla.: If enemy has retired within his trenches at Jacksonville, or on board his transports, Clinch's cavalry will be sent at once to guard communications from attack by way of Satilla and Saint Mary's. G. T. BEAUREGARD, Maj. WILLIAM H. ECHOLS, General, Commanding. FORT SUMTER, February 29, 1864. Chief Engineer: H. C. Keltner has never reported. I think he must be with brigade in Florida. G. W. Keltner cannot be spared. Our South Carolina regiments have been so cut up by details that I think we should hold on to these Georgians, when they want to stay with us. JNO. JOHNSON, |