AUGUSTA, GA., February 3, 1865.

His Excellency President Davis,

RICHMOND, Va.:

The fall of Charleston and Columbia would necessitate soon abanodonment of Wilmington and East North Carolina. If troops from there and from Virginia could be sent me at Columbia, with their transportation, I would defeat, and might destroy, Sherman's army. No time, however, should be lost.

G. T. BEAUREGARD.

CONFEDERATE STATES,

HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE WEST,
Agusta, Ga1865.

Notes of conference had on the 2nd day of February, A. D. 1865, at Green's Cut Station, Ga., at which General Beauregard, Lieutenant General Hardee, Major General D. H. Hill, and Major General G. W. Smith were present. The following was the estimated strength of thhe forces in and about Augusta and the State of South Carolina which could be relied on as effectives to resist the advance of Sherman:

General Hardee: Regular infantry, Prvisional Armies Confederate

States. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,000

Nilitia and reserves. . . . . 3,000

11,000

Light artillery. . . . . . . . . . 2,000

Butler's division, mounted and dismounted (one-half only available at this date). . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,500 3,500

Total under command of

General Hardee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14,500

Major-General Smith:

Georgia militia. . . . . . . . . . . 1,200

General Browne:

Reserves. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 1,450

Total. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15,950

Total infanrty. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,450

Lee's corps:

Infantry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,000

Cheatham's corps:

Infantry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,000

Stewart's corps:

Infantry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,000

10,000

Total infantry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22,450

Artillery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800

Army of Tennessee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10,800

Wheeler's cavalry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,700

Recapitulation.

Total infantry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22,450

Total light artillery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,800

Total cavalry

mounted and dismounted. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,200

Grand total. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33,450

Cheatham's and Stewart's corps had not arrived. The head of Cheatham's corps was expected to arrive on the 4th or 5th, and the head of Stewart's on the 10th or 11th instant. In view of Sherman's present position, his manifest advance toward Branchville from Pocotaligo and Coosawhatchie, the weaknees of our forces, and the expocted arrival of the re-enforcements above referred to, it was deemed inadvisable to concentrate our foces at Branchville, and there offer battle