this battery is my best available means of attack. As the lower Saint John's is my weak point, and a most important one, I shall move with what troops I have and drive the enemy from Trout Creek at all hazards. Colonel Beecher's regiment, the Thirty-fifth U. S. Colored Troops, numbers only a little over 320 men for active duty; of these 90 are without arms, and the rest have four kinds of arms, none of them fit for service. The battalion at Stono River is armed with the Springfield rifle muskets, and I have written an important request to the Head to forward to this place the rest of the arms required.

With the most earnest hope for the success of the major-general, I remain, your obedient servant,

WM. BIRNEY,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH, Hilton Head, S. C., July 10, 1864.

GENERAL: I am instructed by the major-general commanding to state that a siege train of five 20-pounder Parrott guns, four 10-inch siege mortars, two 8-inch siege howitzers, and one 24-pounder rifled gun will be sent to you to be placed in position wherever they may be required. If they are placed either on Black on James Island the battery must be made thoroughly secure against attack by surprise, made so by surrounding them with good, substantial picketing.

The major-general commanding further directs that the bombardment of Fort Sumter, as commenced, must be continued. He will be up on Tuesday or Wednesday next to examine it in person.

I have the honor to be, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
W. L. M. BURGER,

Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. NORTHERN DISTRICT DEPT. OF THE SOUTH, Folly Island, S. C., July 11, 1864.

Colonel WILLIAM HEINE,

Commanding Post:

COLONEL: The general commanding directs that you station the pickets now as heretofore, except that you will send 100 men and a section of the Rocket Battery to Kiawah Island instead of the usual number. The general commanding further directs that the detachment to Kiawah Island be sent to-morrow, 12th instant, and that they proceed with great caution to their post to avoid being ambushed or surprised by the enemy, and that when the outposts are duly stationed and the ground has been examined in the vicinity, that only the usual number remain there and the balance will return to camp.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. B. DEAN,

Lieutenant 127th New York Volunteers, A. A. A. G.