HDQRS. NORTHERN DISTRICT, DEPT. OF THE SOUTH,
Charrleston, S. C., March 14, 1865.

Colonel P. P. BROWN,

Commanding U. S. Forces, Georgetown:

COLONEL: I wish you would send an expedition up the Waccamaw River, to land on the east side about fifteen or twenty miles, and sweep the whole country between the river and sea to the point opposite Georgetown. Bring in all the mules and horses suitable for Government use, and get all the recruits you can. If the expedition prove successful, try one up the Black River and sweep the country to the Pedee.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN P. HATCH,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

LOUISVILLE, March 14, 1865.

(Received 6. 50 p. m.)

Major-General HALLECK:

I have notice thatt 5,000 will leave here in two or three days from Nashville, destined for New Berne, N. C. To what point on the coast shall I send them? Baltimore, or New York, or elsewhere?

R. ALLEN,

Brigadier-General.

[Indorsement.]

MARCH 15, 1865.

QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL:

General Allen has been direccted to send the troops here for shipment. Arrangements should be made for transportation over the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General and Chief of Staff.

CITY POINT, VA., March 15, 1865.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

The Richmond papers of to-day are received, but they contain no news of interest. The following paragraph from the Examiner is all that is worth telegraphing: *

NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA.

We are still wthout official dispatches from the army under General Johnston, but the progress of Sherman is evidently embarrassed by difficulties he did not expect, and those Raleigh newspapers which but lately had no doubt that he would occupy Raleigh without opposition, and then go wherever he pleased, have changed their minds. Everything that is known from that quarter is encouraging. There are other military movements on foot, to which it would be premature to allude.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

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*For portion relating to operations in Virginia, see Vol. XLVI, Part II, p. 986.

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