to be the senior officer there you will assume command and report by letter to Brigadier-General Seymour.

You will send word immediately to Colonel Howell that you are detached from his command, and that your regiment canot be depended upon for the duty assigned to it.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ED. W. SMITH,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH,
Hilton Head, S. C., February 21, 1864.

OFFICER COMMANDING,

Jacksonville, Fla.:

SIR: The major-general commanding directs that you cause the two field-works ordered by him to be constructed on the outskirts of the town to be pushed to ocmpletion without delay. You will use for this purpose the whole available force under your command.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ED. W. SMITH,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.

HILTON HEAD, S. C., February 21, 1864.

Colonel J. B. HOWELL,

Commanding District:

SIR: You having called my attention to a matter in which I am charged with the arrest of a naval officer unnecessarily, I most respectfully beg to submit the following statement:

On a previous occasion I was required by Commander Reynolds, with Colonel Duryee's indorsement, to make a statement of the facts, which I did. In the absence of my retained copy I will condense as much as possible.

Some few weeks ago an officer, as since he appears to be, from U. S. ship Vermont, came ashore wiith a launch and crew, near Elliott's plantation, for some purpose, and getting into some difficulty with his launch, asked and received permission from the soldiers on picket there to take a boat lying on the beach to rescue his launch. After rescuing his launch he lost the boat in some manner. The lost boat belonged to Mr. Fuller, Government agent at the plantation, used for the purpose of transporting provisions, &c., from Hilton Head, it being his only menas of conveyance. Mr. Fuller then reported the case to Colonel J. C. Campbell, commanding outposts at Seabrook Landing. The next day, the colonel being absent, I was temporarily in command. While in command Mr. Fuller came up and reported the same to me, also informing me that the officer was ashore then, and would give him no satisfaction in regard to his boat. I then told the adjutatn to go to Elliott's and request this naval officer to come up, as I desired to see him. the adjutant took his horse and went, returning some time before the naval officer, who walked up. My reasons for requiring his presence were, that there were two parties involved in the dispute, and I would not act without hearing both sides of the question, for I would not take Mr. Fuller's assertion