but owing to precautionary measures taken, casualties have been remarkably few-less than 6 per day. This is forty-seventh day o siege. Fort Sumter and batteries on Morris Island will be held to last extremity.

G. T. BEAUREGARD,

General, Commanding.

CHARLESTON, S. C.,

August 23, 1863.

Honorable JAMES A. SEDDON,

Secretary of War, Richmond, Va.:

As already reported, shall hold Sumter and Wagner to last extremity, but let me have gun possible for armament of strong interior lines now nearly ready; 8 and 10-inch columbia and 10-inch mortar shells and 32-pounder rifled ratchet sabot shells greatly needed for final struggle.

G. T. BEAUREGARD.

CHARLESTON, S. C.,

August 23, 1863.

Colonel J. GORGAS,

Chief of Ordnance, Richmond, Va.:

Thanks for fuses; but send me, if possible, 32-pounder rifle ratchet sabot shells, 8 and 10-inch columbia, and 10-inch mortar shells.

G. T. BEAUREGARD.

HDQRS. DEPT. SOUTH CAROLINA, GEORGIA, AND FLORIDA,
Charleston, S. C., August 23, 1863.

Brigadier General JOHNSON HAGOOD,

Commanding at Battery Wagner;

GENERAL: Should the enemy send in, by flag of truce, any communication for these headquarters, let if be opened in the presence of the bearer, and returned at once if couched in discourteous or offensive language; that is, the enemy's communications must be confined hereafter to a simple, explicit statement of what he demands or wants.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

THOMAS JORDAN,

Chief of Staff.

BATTERY WAGNER,

August 23, 1863-2 p. m.

General JORDAN,

Chief of Staff:

GENERAL: At 12 m. to-day a communication for General Beauregard, together with one for the British and one for the Spanish consul (all sealed), was received by flag of truce in front of Fort Wagner, and immediately dispatched by me to Cumming's Point, to be sent up by a both that I was informed was lying there. At the same