If any of these plans are to be carried out prompt action is necessary, and with a wiew to this I am hurying the conscription of the negroes for the engineer corps of this State. Under the late legislature we shall probably get 1,000. In order to establish telegraph communication fsrom here to the forces on the Altamaha River I shall send Lieutenant-Colonel Beard to get wire necessary, if possible, beyond that river. Twenty-five miles of wire is necessarky to make the connection. In the meantime I have established a line of couriers from Madison to Quitman.

My information is that the enemy do not amount to more than 700 at Jacksonville, mostly blacks, and half as many more at Saint Augustine. They do not come out on this side of the Saint John's River. Two scouts between Jacksonville and Saint Augustine captured Colonel Noble, Seventeenth Connecticut Infantry, commanding at Saint Augustine, and a Lieutenant Rice, assistant provost-marshal at Jacksonville. The prisoners were forwarded to Columbus. During my command here Tallahassee and Marianna have been fortified, and such other fortifications as are considered necessary are in course of construction. As our line of supplies is now by the Chattahoochee, I have put 100 hands on the road from Chattahoochee to Quincy to put it in order. I am using my best efforts to discipline the troops of this command, but the extent of territory and the large amount of guard duty and coast to be defended, prevent the concentration so necessary to disciplne. In order to effect this concentration I have called on His Excellency Governor Milton for militia to do guard duty at posts.

With the hope that these measures will be found judicious by the lieutenant-general commanding, I am, colonel, &c.,

W. MILLER,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
ADJT. AND INSP. GENERAL'S OFFICE, Numbers 9. Richmond, January 12, 1865.

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VIII. Captain J. H. Pearce, assistant adjutant-general, is hereby relieved from duty with General Henry A. Wise's brigade, and is assigned to duty with R. H. Anderson's cavalrly brigade, Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.

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By command of the Secretary of War:

J WITHERS,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. MILITARY DIV. OF THE WEST, Numbers -. Montgomery, January 12, 1865.

I. In pursuance to a telegram from the Adjutant and Inspector General's Office, Richmond, Major General D. H. Hill will repair to Charleston and report to Lieutenant-General Hardee for assignment.

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By command of General Beauregard:

GEORGE WM. BRENT,

Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.