Today in History:

173 Series I Volume XXVIII-II Serial 47 - Ft. Sumter - Ft. Wagner Part II

Page 173 Chapter XL. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-CONFEDERATE.

CAMP FINEGAN (NEAR JACKSONVILLE).

Lieutenant Colonel A. H. MCCORMICK.

2nd Florida Cavalry, Companies B, C, and F, Lieutenant Colonel A. h. McCormick.

Partisan Rangers (four companies), Major T. W. Brevard.

Independent company, Captain John Bryan.

Independent company, Captain A. P. Mootey.

Milton Artillery, Company A, Captain J. L. Dunahm.

FOWLER'S BLUFF AND CEDAR KEYS.

1st Special Battalion (one company), Captain Edwin West.

LAKE CITY.

Independent company, Captain A. A. Stewart.

PALATKA.

2nd Florida Cavalry, Company H, Captain J. J. Dickinson.

TAMPA.

Independent company, Captain J. W. Pearson.

NOTES ON ORIGINAL.-Captain W. E. Chambers' Cavalry Company [C, Second Regiment] has been ordered to re-enforce Captain Dickinson at Palatka. Detachments of Captain J. C. Chambers' company are at Homosassa and Crystal River. These will be relieved by Captain Hope's company.


HDQRS. DEPT. SOUTH CAROLINA, GEORGIA, AND FLORIDA,
Charleston, S. C., July 1, 1863.

General JOSEPH E. JOHNSTON,

Canton, Miss.:

DEAR GENERAL: Your favor of the 26th ultimo has just been received. I regret not being able to make the exchange you propose, for, having so few troops here, General Evans would be in the way. Should any of your generals get killed or disabled you can then make the application I referred to.

I have heard of the "bill of accusation" you speak of, &c. I felt convinced matters were as you state them. An effort was lately made to deplete me still more of my forces, but it could only be done at the imminent risk of losing Charleston and Savannah. Whereas of what earthly use is that "raid" of Lee's army into maryland, in violation of all the principles of war? Is it going to end the struggle, take Washington, or save the Mississippi Valley? Why not have kept on the defensive in Virginia, sent Longstreet's 20,000 men (who were not in the battle of Chancellorsville) to re-enforce Bragg, who with the 10,000 I sent you, could have crushed Rosecrans, and then sent about 50,000 men to Memphis and Fort Pillow and then to your assistance? By the bye, as you do not mention in your letter the one I had written to you on the 15th of May last, proposing a plan of campaign similar to the one just spoken of, I send you herewith a copy with an N. b., which I added on the 21st ultimo. I fear, though, it is now too late to undertake it.

If you cannot attack Grant in his stronghold, why not detach a force strong enough to destroy Banks? You could then unite the forces of Gardner (or most of them) with yours. I hope everything will yet turn out well, although I do not exactly see how. If I had


Page 173 Chapter XL. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-CONFEDERATE.