RICHMOND, VA., January 17, 1864.

General G. T. BEAUREGARD,

Commanding, Charleston, S. C.:

GENERAL: The papers referred by you to this office, with your remarks thereon, under date December 16,* relating to the arrest and trial of Brigadier-General Evans, have been laid before the President. After full consideration of the cause, the length of time General Evans, by his own statement, has been in arrest (since September 15), and his acquittal by the court, the President is forced to require his immediate release from arrest, if he has not already been released, and that the final order in respect to his trial be at once issued.

In respect to his disqualifications as commander of a brigade, I am instructed to refer you to the "Act to relieve the army of disqualified, disabled, and incompetent officers," approved October 13, 1862, the first and second sections of which act make it the duty of commanding generals of departments to appoint examining boards to examine into the cases of such officers as may be brought to their attention, for the purpose of determining their qualifications for the discharge of the duties properly appertaining to their several positions.

The President conceives that it would be unjust to assign this officer to another command until he has an opportunity under the act above referred to to acquit himself of the disqualifications charged against him.

Very respectfully, &c., your obedient servant,

S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General.

CHARLESTON, January 17, 1864.

General S. COOPER:

General Beauregard went this morning to Savannah. No developments of enemy's purposes.

THOS. JORDAN.

SAVANNAH, January 18, 1864.

(Received 19th.)

General S. COOPER:

All quiet here. Nothing seen of enemy's fleet, which left Hilton Head few days since. It has gone north, light, for troops and supplies. Number which started with it stopped at Charleston.

G. T. BEAUREGARD.

WAR DEPARTMENT, C. S. A.,

Richmond, Va., January 19, 1864.

General G. T. BEAUREGARD,

Charleston, S. C.:

Information just received from a gentleman certainly reliable, and who believes it undoubted, having been obtained from an officer of the U. S. Navy, that enemy are organizing and intending hostile

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*See Vol. XXVIII, Part II, p. 585.

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