HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH, Major-General HOWARD: GENERAL: Major-General Foster desires me to inform you that the following-named steamers are employed in transporting the Seventeenth Corps from this point to Beaufort, S. C.: General Sherman, 500 men; Louisburg, 1,000 men; Fannie, 500 men; Crescent, 1,200 men; Spaulding, 1,000 men; Mary A. Boardman, 500 men; Canonicus, 600 men; Delaware, 800 men; Cosmopolitan, teams and wagons; Golden Gate, teams and wagons; George Leary, teams and wagons; Wyoming, teams and wagons; Sylph, teams and wagons. These steamers will return as soon as they have landed their troops. I am, general, yours, very respectfully, EDWARD N. STRONG, [Indorsement.] Major and Aide-de-Camp. HDQRS. DEPARTMENT AND ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE, Savannah, Ga., January 3, 1865. Respectfully referred to Maj. Gen. F. P. Blair, commanding Seven teenth Army Corps, for his information. By order of Maj. Gen. O. O. Howard: SAML. L. TAGGART, HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES, DISTRICT OF BEAUFORT, [Maj. Gen. F. P. BLAIR, Jr.:] GENERAL: I find that there is no transportation here and you must arrange to have a portion of yours brought. A hundred wagons at least must be sent forward while the troops are moving. There is forage, and I think the more animals you can get over the better. General Foster says the wharf is not built, and in consequence one boat with 1,200 men on board is stuck. Respectfully, O. O. HOWARD, Major-General. 7 A. M. P. S.-Two boat loads have disembarked. SPECIAL ORDERS, HDQRS. THIRD DIV., 17TH ARMY CORPS, No. 4. Savannah, Ga., January 4, 1865. III. This command will be prepared to move at once. The First Brigade, Brig. Gen. M. F. Force commanding, will have the advance, followed by the Second Brigade, Col. G. F. Wiles commanding. The artillery, Lieutenant Bailey commanding, will follow in rear of the infantry. Trains in same order as the troops, followed by ordnance and headquarters trains. Ambulances will follow in rear of each brigade. By order of Brig. Gen. M. D. Leggett: J. C. DOUGLASS, Assistant Adjutant-General, HDQRS. THIRD DIVISION, TWENTIETH ARMY CORPS, Lieutenant-Colonel PERKINS, Assistant Adjutant-General, Twentieth Army Corps: COLONEL: This evening I sent Major Clay with 175 men to Jonesville. He found no rebel encampment there. A brigade of cavalry was there last night and left a few stragglers there to-day; none to-night. On his way he took two prisoners, one belonging to Hampton's cavalry, one to the infantry; first sent home to get fresh horses. The infantryman knows nothing, the cavalryman very little, but says that he thinks the cavalry have a camp between Jonesville and Beech Hills, and a battery, but does not know that such is the case. The cavalry were a part of Wheeler's command, under the command of Anderson. Major Clay also brought in two contrabands from Jonesville, who report that all the cavalry pickets in the river bottom, after the skirmish with my men last evening, were drawn in and retreated full speed through Jonesville last night, up the roads toward Hardeeville, saying that the "Yankees were coming;" since which time they have seen no rebel soldiers near Jonesville, and that they think all of them have gone back to Hardeeville. Before they left they shot down all the hogs and cattle and took all that the "poor negroes" had to eat, stating that the Yankees would get it if they (the rebels) did not kill, destroy, and take it. I informed Colonel Robinson when here to-day that Beech Hills would do to encamp upon. I learn to-night that it is in the river bottom and not fit for encampment, but that Jonesville is a fine place for several regiments, but not for a division. I also sent a party to examine the Red Bluff Fort. They found the roads leading to it high, dry, and good. The fort good but small; the water ten feet deep at low tide; several roads leading from it up and down the river; fine ground for encampments. The fort is three miles from my troops. Captain Crawford and Lieutenant Tuttle, of my staff, think that my troops could be supplied by landing stores at that point. Your humble servant, W. T. WARD, HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH, Brig. Gen. R. SAXTON, Hilton Head, S. C., January 4, 1865. Commanding District of Beaufort: GENERAL: The major-general commanding directs that the shell road from Beaufort to Port Royal Ferry be put in good order immediately, using every precaution not to excite the curiosity of the enemy or the citizens in your command. Respectfully, W. L. M. BURGER, Assistant Adjutant-General. HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI, SOLOMON COHEN, Esq., Savannah, Ga.: SIR: I am directed by Major-General Sherman to reply to the inquiries contained in your note to him of 3d instant, as follows: The rules laid down by him in his note to Major-General Blair are simply a statement of what General Sherman's own policy will be while he remains in command here. He will not undertake to declare or prescribe a policy for his successors. General Sherman is now waiting for the mayor of Savannah to furnish him a list of those who desire to go beyond our lines. Upon the receipt of this he will make arrangements for sending out all such by flag of truce, and of this twenty-four hours' notice will be given. All baggage, &c., taken from the city will, of course, be examined; by whom and in what manner will be regulated by Brig. Gen. J. W. Geary, commanding the post. I am, respectfully, your obedient servant, HENRY HITCHCOCK, Major and Assistant Adjutant-General. WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington City, January 5, 1865—2.50 p. m. Lieutenant-General GRANT, Fortress Monroe: I think it would be useful if you would write to Sherman, urging him to give facilities to the organization of colored troops. He does not seem to appreciate the importance of this measure and appears indifferent if not hostile. EDWIN M. STANTON, FORTRESS MONROE, VA., January 5, 1865-8 a. m. Please have everything called for by Sherman forwarded without delay. He cannot move until the forage and subsistence called for is received. A special messenger from Sherman has just left here with his requisitions. U. S. GRANT, HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI, General H. W. HALLECK, Savannah, Ga., January 5, 1865. Chief of Staff, Washington, D. C.: GENERAL: Connected with my report of the operations of this branch of my army, I beg leave to submit the names of certain officers that in my judgment merit promotion or the favor of the Government, in addition to those heretofore submitted through regular official channels. Col. A. Beckwith, commissary of subsistence, was assigned to me by the chief of his department in April last. He at once entered on his duties with an energy and intelligence that could not be surpassed. I have never seen a more industrious officer, and the result has been that he has fed an army of 100,000 men, operating from Nashville to Savannah, a task that one year ago was regarded an impossi bility. His coadjutor in this work, General Easton, of the quartermaster's department, has properly been brevetted a brigadier-general, * See Vol. XLIV, p. 846. and I request that a similar reward be conferred on Colonel Beckwith. Capt. L. M. Dayton, aide-de-camp on my personal staff, has held the rank of captain and served near my person since the battle of Shiloh without an increase of rank. Since our leaving Nashville in April last he has acted as an assistant adjutant-general, and I recommend he be appointed assistant adjutant-general, with the rank of major, as reward for his constant services. I am, with great respect, your obedient servant, SPECIAL FIELD ORDERS, * W. T. SHERMAN, Major-General, Commanding. VII. Maj. C. Landgraeber, Second Missouri Light Artillery, acting chief of artillery, Seventeenth Army Corps, is relieved from such duty and will forthwith report to the commanding officer of his regiment at Saint Louis, Mo. United States Government transports and quartermaster's department will furnish the necessary transportation. * * By order of Maj. Gen. O. O. Howard: SAML. L. TAGGART, GENERAL ORDERS, No. 2. HDQRS. 4TH DIV., 17TH ARMY CORPS, The troops of this command will move to-morrow morning (January 6) to Thunderbolt, to embark on transports as follows: I. The First Brigade, Col. B. F. Potts commanding, will be prepared to embark by daylight, or as soon as boats are in readiness. II. The Third Brigade, Brig. Gen. W. W. Belknap commanding, will move at 8 a. m. III. The First Minnesota Battery, Captain Clayton, will follow the Third Brigade. IV. The division supply train will follow the battery. CHAS. H. BRUSH, HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH, Hilton Head, S. C., January 5, 1865. Rear-Admiral JOHN A. DAHLGREN, U. S. Navy, Commanding South Atlantic Blockading Squadron: ADMIRAL: I desire through you to express my thanks to Acting Master Ogilvie, of the U. S. steamer John Griffith, for his promptness in coming to my assistance while aground in Wassaw Sound on the steamer W. W. Coit, and for his services in piloting the steamer into the Wilmington River. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 2 R R-VOL XLVII, PT II J. G. FOSTER, Major-General, Commanding. General GRANT: FORT MONROE, January 6, 1865—3 p. m. I arrived here an hour ago en route for Savannah, by way of Hilton Head, and shall remain until to-morrow. Have you any word you wish to send, or any military news? Quartermaster-General, Townsend, and Barnes are with me. General GRANT: E. M. STANTON, FORT MONROE, January 6, 1865-5 p. m. Mrs. Foster wants the general to be sent to Baltimore for an opera tion on his leg. I am in favor of gratifying her. Is there any good man that can be assigned to that command? If there is I will relieve him while there and make the appointment. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War. CITY POINT, VA., January 6, 1865—5.30 p. m. Hon. E. M. STANTON, I am just in receipt of a letter from Sherman, asking me to re-enforce Foster so that he will not be compelled to leave a division of his army there. Please say to Sherman that I will send the division now embarking at Baltimore. They probably will reach him two days after you do. I wrote to Sherman some time ago to direct Foster to organize negro troops to do garrison duty. Please say to Sherman that if Foster will go to work and organize colored troops they can garrison the forts and islands, leaving all of his white troops for Savannah and the camp at Pocotaligo, enabling the division which I now send to return in the spring, if necessary. U.S. GRANT, CITY POINT, VA., January 6, 1865-8.30 p. m. Hon. E. M. STANTON, General Logan or Ord, either, will be good men to relieve Foster. U. S. GRANT, HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI, His Excellency President LINCOLN, Washington: DEAR SIR: I am gratified at the receipt of your letter of December 26,* at the hands of General Logan, especially to observe that you appreciate the division I made of my army, and that each part was duly proportioned to its work. The motto, "Nothing venture, nothing * See Vol. XLIV, p. 809. |