HDQRS. COAST DIVISION, DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH,
Pocotaligo, February 2, 1865.

Major General W. T. SHERMAN,

Commanding Military Division of the Mississippi:

GENERAL: I neglect to mention in the items sent you yesterday ghat General Foster wishes me to say to you that he considers it absolutely necessary that General Saxton shall be relieved from superintending the recruiting colored troops. He is crazy on the subject, has harangued meetings, and had an appointment for a mass-meeting in Savannah yesterday. It is, however, probable that General Grover yesterday forbid the mass-meeting. The negroes misunderstand their recently acquired freedom, and will neither work nor enlist. General Saxton's course is thought to encourage them in their opinions. General Littlefield is considered capable of managing an organizing the recruiting of blacks.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN P. HATCH,

Brigadier-General of Volunteers, Commanding.

I shall cross at Combahee Ferry as soon as I can get boats to that point.

HDQRS. COAST DIVISION, DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH,
Pocotaligo, S. C., February 2, 1865.

COMMANDING OFFICER ENGINEERS AT PORT ROYAL FERRY:

SIR: The brigadier-general commanding directs that you move your command to the mainland on this side of the causeway, and erect there a tete-de-point arranged for two or more guns. He also directs you to send word as to the number of pontoon boats you have at that point.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

LEONARD B. PERRY,

First Lieutenant, Fifty-fifth Mass. Vols., and Actg. Asst. Adjt. General

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA,
New Berne, N. C., February 2, 1865.

Major General M. C. MEIGS,

Quartermaster-General U. S. Army, Washington:

GENERAL: I have the honor to inclose direct to you a letter written by the acting Chief quartermaster of this district to the Chief quartermaster at Fort Monroe, concerning some transportation.

To send this requisition through the ordinary channels would occupy too much time, and for this reason it is sent direct to you.

I have received letters (confidential) from both General Sherman and General Foster informing me of General Sherman's plans, and I am preparing everything here for the advance of Sherman's army into this State. The force for placing the railroad in order fro our outposts to Kinston has arrived, and a portion of Schofield's corps is hourly expected here. This additional force will probably arrive without wagons, and I wish to place them in immediate condition to march, with twenty days' supply of provisions and ammunition, to Goldsborough, where I expect to join General Sherman by the latter part of this month.