This telegram was undoubtedly based on General Hunter's emphatic statement, made and repeated to General Halleck in every letter to which the controversy regarding the status and command of the reenforcement from North Carolina has given rise, to the effect that your conduct in the matter had been blameless, in General Hunter's judgment, and that you had only done your duty ion bringing before these headquarters, on General Hunter's assumption of command, instructions from your former commanding officer, which set up on his behalf a claim to retain independent command of the re-enforcements ordered by the Government to General Hunter's department.

Such being the facts of the case, it must be unnecessary to add that General Hunter uses the discretion given him by Major-General Halleck to retain your service int his department; and that, fully appreciating your many excellent qualities as a brave, experienced, and efficient officer, it is his hope that yo will have no cause to regret your service in this department.

I have the honor to be, general, your most obedient servant,

CHAS. G. HALPINE,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Tenth Army Corps.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH, Numbers 116. Hilton Head, Port Royal, S. C., Feb. 28, 1863.

I. The infantry of the detachment of the Eighteenth Army Corps serving in this department will be divided into two division, commanded by Generals Henry M. Naglee and Orris S. Ferry. Brigadier General Thomas G. Stevenson is assigned to the command of a brigade in one of these divisions, which brigades will include the two regiments recently commanded by him if they have not been otherwise disposed of, and General Naglee is charged with this assignment.

II. All returns and reports hereafter will be by divisions, and will be forwarded through Brigade-General Naglee, as commanding officer on Saint Helena. The artillery detachments and companies will send their returns consolidated through the senior officer of the Third new York Artillery present on duty Brigade-General Naglee as a separate regimental organization, and that regiment will not be attached to any division.

By command of Major-General Hunter:

CHAS. G. HALPINE,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Tenth Army Corps.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH,

Hilton Head, Port Royal, S. C., - -, 1863.

Brigadier General H. M. NAGLEE,

Commanding U. S. Forces, Saint Helena, S. C.:

GENERAL: Your-Special Orders, Numbers 19, having been officially referred to these headquarters by Surg. C. H. Crane, U. S. Army, medical director, it is deemed proper to inform you that no corps organization is contemplated with respect to the detachment of the Eighteenth Army Corps now in this department, and that after the removal of the detachment from Saint Helena Island you will under present orders only command you division, except in so far as military operations may