ford in the morning. If your available force be not sufficient for that purpose, you will make use of all the civilians at this post, whether in the service of the Government or otherwise.

I have the honor to be, Colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. W. DICKINSON,

Captain, 21st U. S. Colored Troops, and Actg. Asst. Adjt. General,

Northern District, Department of the South.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH,
Hilton Head, S. C., December 12, 1864.

Colonel P. P. BROWN, Jr.,

Commanding 157th New York Volunteers, Fort Pulaski, GA.:

COLONEL: The attention of the major-General commanding has been called to the publication in the Charleston Courier of a complimentary letter to you, signed by a number of exchanged rebel prisoners of war that had been confined in Fort Pulaski under your charge. Praise from the enemy is the last thing that an officer should seek, or permit to be bestowed upon him. These officers were sent to this department for the purpose of retaliation, and your instructions were to treat them in precisely the same manner that our prisoners of war in the hands of the enemy are treated. If these instructions had been faithfully carried out on your part, as they should have been, very few compliments would have been extended to you by the prisoners. The major-General commanding regrets exceedingly to be obliged to censure an officer for such conduct.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. L. M. BURGER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES,
Fort Pulaski, GA., December 12, 1864.

Captain W. L. M. BURGER, Assistant Adjutant-General:

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of to-day censuring me for failing to carry out the instructions given me with reference to the treatment of the prisoners of war placed under my charge. The instructions mentioned in your communication have failed to reach me, and until the censure reached me to-day I was not aware of their existence. I would therefore respectfully request that another copy be sent me, that I may know in what particulars I have erred, and be able to make the necessary changes.

I have the honor to be, General, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

P. P. BROWN, Jr.,

Colonel, Commanding Post.

ON BOARD DANDELION,

Ossabaw Sound, December 13, 1864 - 11. 50 p. m.

(Received 15th.)

Honorable . M. STANTON,

Secretary of War, Washington, D. C.:

To-day, at 5 p. m., General Hazen's division of the Fifteenth Corps carried Fort McAllister by assault, capturing its entire garrison and