instructed General Schofield to take command of all the troops in North Carolina, and to operate according to the plan arranged for his ci-operation with General Sherman. The Construction Corps, under Brigadier-General McCallum, will leave at once for Beaufort, N. C.

Ii have no late reports from the Northern District. In the Beaufort District General E. E. Potter has occupied Edisto Island.

In the Savannah District General Grover is doing well in his efforts to establish order and discipline. The cotton is being slowly loaded on vessels. Incendiary attempts have not succeeded in burning any cotton although about one square and a half was among the buildings consumed. The explosion of the shells prevented the firemen getting close enough to check the fire until it had attained considerable headway. I have ordered three steam fire engines, through Brigadier General Van Vliet, at New York, to be sent here as soon as possible. They will be paid for out of the civil fund.

The recruiting of negroes does not progress well-only 450 having enlisted thus far-owing mainly to the assumption of all control over that business by Brevet Major-General Saxton, who has created some disorder by his harangues before mass meetings of negroes, which he called in Savannah. General Grover will be forced to interdict such meetings in future, for a time at least, to guard against the opportunities that they afford, by their confusion and excitement, to the rebel incendiaries for prosecuting their attempts. Regular recruiting offices have been opened in Savannah by Brevet Brigadier-General Littlefield, superintendent of volunteer recruiting in this department.

From the District of Florida I have the report that a party of forty-five men under an officer, was surprised near Jacksonville by a party of rebel cavalry, on the 26th ultimo, and one-half of them captured. I have sent one regiment, drawn from there for service in the field here, back again, in order to restore confidence, and also to build a work to guard the inland passage from the Saint John's River to Fernandina.

The health of the whole department is excellent, and the weather has been very fine for the past six days, with prospect of the continuance of good weather.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. G. FOSTER,

Major-General, Commanding.

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

Chief OF STAFF, U. S. ARMIES, WASHINGTON, D. C.

Numbers 271. Reports of Major General Quincy A. Gillmore, U. S. Army, commanding Department of the South, of operations February 9-March 6.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH,

Charleston, S. C., February 18, 1865

GENERAL: The city of Charleston and its defenses came into our possession this morning, with over 200 pieces of good Artillery and a supply of fine ammunition. The enemy commenced evacuating all the works last night, and Mayor Macbeth surrendered the city to the troops of General Schimmelfennig at 9 o'clock this morning, at which time it was occupied by our forces. Our advance on the Edisto and