Today in History:

403 Series I Volume XLVII-II Serial 99 - Columbia Part II

Page 403 Chapter LIX. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. - UNION.


HDQRS. NORTHERN DISTRICT, DEPT. OF THE SOUTH,
FIRST SEPARATE BRIGADE,

Morris Island, S. C., February 12, 1865.

Lieutenant-Colonel BENNETT,

Commanding Post, Morris Island, S. C. ;

COLONEL: You will fire ten shots at the city during this afternoon and twenty during the night. You will give orders that all of the enemy's steamers in Charleston Harbor which can be reached by our artillery, or which may appear at the Mount Pleasant Wharf, shall be fired upon. The latter place and Mount Pleasant itself will be carefully watched.

By order of Brigadier-General Schimmelfennig:

J. W. DICKINSON,

Captain and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.


HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF NORTH CAROLINA,
ARMY OF THE OHIO,

Federal Point, N. C., February 12, 1865.

Rear-Admiral D. D. PORTER,

Commanding North Atlantic Squadron:

ADMIRAL: If the wind continues favorable I intend to turn the enemy's position to-night by crossing Masonborough Sound, about two miles below the inlet. I propose to send a brigade of troops outside, in small steamers, with my pontoon boats and such small boats as you can furnish me. Let them land and haul the boats over the beach into the sound and thus cross to the mainland. The main portion of the troops will march up the beach to the point of crossing. I would like about thirty boats from the navy with strong crews, also the steam tug Wilderness, with the pilot who went with General Comstock yesterday. It is also important to have a strong naval force outside to cover the landing. I would like to have the boats report to General Comstock at the wharf at 4 o'clock this p. m. The men should be provided with two or three days' rations.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. M. SCHOFIELD,

Major-General, Commanding.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPT. OF NORTH CAROLINA,
ARMY OF THE OHIO, Numbers 3.
Federal Point, N. C., February 12, 1865

I. The following movement will be made with a view to turn the enemy's position east of Cape Fear River, and open the way to Wilmington:

One brigade of General Ames' division of General Terry's corps will embark on light-draft steamers at the Federal Point Wharf, and move outside to a point on the beach about two miles south of Masonborough Inlet, where the troops will land. The remainder of General Ames' division, and General Cox's division of the Twenty-third Corps, will march along the sea-beach to the point of landing.

The pontoons, thirty in number, and about the same number of navy boats, will be towed by the steamers to the point of landing, when they


Page 403 Chapter LIX. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. - UNION.