HEADQUARTERS TWENTIETH CORPS,
near Savannah, GA., December 15, 1864.

Brigadier General W. T. WARD,

Commanding Third Division:

GENERAL: The general commanding directs that the brigade of your division now in reserve relieve Colonel Carman's brigade, of the First Division, to-morrow morning at daybreak.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ROBT. P. DECHERT,

Captain and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS THIRD BRIGADE,
In the Field, December 15, 1864.

Colonel ASMUSSEN:

SIR: the officer that I sent this morning to see about the connection between the fourteenth Corps and the left the Thirty-first Wisconsin has just returned, and reports that the connection heretofore was not fully made, but the evil has been remedied and the connection is now complete. Lieutenant-Colonel Rogers, brigade officer of the day, reported to Captain Reynolds on yesterday that the connection had been made, and Captain Reynolds so reported to me yesterday. I gave positive instructions to the brigade officers of the day upon the subject. It seems that the Thirty-first picketed to the swamp, refusing their left, and the Fourteenth to the swamp on the other side, refusing their right. The officer has measured the distance, and reports that the Fourteenth Corps cover this portion of the ground. I shall increase the detail from my bridged to-day in order to strengthen the entire line; it will in the future be 250 men. I have built breast-work in front of the Thirty-first Wisconsin, Sixty-first Ohio, One hundred and first Illinois, and Eighty-second Illinois. The two pieces of artillery are also protected by works on railroad and main wagon road.

Very truly,

J. S. ROBINSON,

Colonel, &c.

HDQRS. COAST DIVISION, DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH,
Deveaux's Neck, S. C., December 15, 1864-4. 30 p. m.

Major-General FOSTER,

Commanding Department of the South:

GENERAL: I have just received your letter. * We will be ready to move as soon as possible, but you are aware that we cannot get off this strip of land in less than two days with the transportation we have. I do not think the enemy intend sending more re-enforcement to Savannah. One train got down yesterday and one to-day; no train has gone north either yesterday or to-day. A train came from toward Savannah last night and is charged at Coosawhatchie; it then returned. Night before last we killed the engineer and one fireman and disabled a train. We keep up a slow fire on the road, and fire briskly when a train attempts to pass. The force in front of me is small, not over 2,000, if the stories told by deserters are true. I think the road might be cut toward Pocotaligo without any serious mishap. Major Thomas is sending for all the launches and scows; I have directed Colonel Ransom to

---------------

*Not found.

---------------