and the troops brought to Hilton Head, where I propose a regiment (possibly twelve or fourteen companies) of infantry, two companies of engineers and two of artillery, and one squadron or one battalion of cavalry to protect Hilton Head, which, with the battery of the ship of the line Vermont and two or three gunboats, if available, one, say, for Calibogue Sound, between Cooper and May Rivers, and the others in the Savannah and Cooper, will, I think, effectually secure these central or main positions during the operations projected against Charleston.

For these, I would then propose to have available about 10,000 men, nearly 4,000 of which re now under the command of General Wright at Edisto and Otter Islands. The two batteries (Hamilton's, of six guns, and Rockwell's, of four guns) and three and a half squadrons of cavalry and the pontoon train, with two engineer companies, I would send up as early as possible, in the proper boats, to be landed in the night, and as covertly as possible, at North Edisto; sending up also one or two regiments in the other available boats, to be landed there in the dame way, thus getting fully one-half the proposed force there all ready for transportation across to Rockville at any moment; that infantry, with about half of each of the other troops, being designed to march northward on Wadmalaw, on the west of Bohicket Creek, and under General Wright.

These preparations made, I would gather the rest of the infantry here upon the proper vessels in this harbor, under General Stevens, and the division headquarters brigade, under Colonel Williams, having them either on this island or in the vessels, so as to be transferred or to be on board at early together, and to reach North Edisto at high tide in the afternoon; to disembark the troops, those from the lighter draught vessels, at least, at the landing at Johns' Island, understood to be from 1 1/2 to 3 miles above Rockville on the east side of Bohicket Creek, such vessels returning immediately, either to land the balance of General Stevens' force or to ferry over the advance of General Wright to Rockville, as may have then be deemed most expedient.

With a sufficient number of vessels for this, as is believed to be in this district, and property timed, it is thought that, without unavoidable accidents from bad weather, &c., the mass of the troops, certainly the infantry (except a small regiment to be left in depot at Edisto), can be landed by dark, and moved forward in the night the whole distance of some 12 miles for the east or Stevens' column to P. Gervais, and at Rivers' [T. Grimball's], at the bend of the Stono, next above Legareville, and some 16 miles, for Wraith's column, at Fripp's, about 2 miles above Rivers', where, at once or both places, they might cross that river at points not more than 1 to 1/2 miles distant, to unite at James Island.

The crossing was intended to be by the pontoon train, divided in two parts, one with each column, to be used either as a rope ferry or as a flying bridge, which at least appears feasible at the upper, or Fripp's, landing, from the information obtained; and, either column once across, the other could pass without difficulty, and the two batteries near the mouth of the Stono and the "old battery" about 2 1/2 miles above them being taken in rear, as they could be-probably by the causeway, positively said to lead from the last to the two former, or, possibly, by descending the river in shows, boats, or pontoons-the mouth of the Stono would be open to the Navy and to our vessels, to be ready loaded and in Edisto Inlet with the bread chin ordnance for Fort Sumter, and the large columbiads, with, perhaps, some mortars for shelling Charleston, and the latter could at once be taken (a distance of 6 or 7 miles