EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,

Tallahassee, November 6, 1863.

General G. T. BEUREGARD,

Charleston, S. C.:

GENERAL: I have had the honor to receive your letters of the 27th ultimo and General Gilmer's report,* with your indorsement, relative to the defenses of the Apalachicola River and the means of subsiting the citizens in the city of Apalachicola. Inclosed you will find a copy of a proclamation+ issued by me relative to distilleries, and I will inclose to you a copy of the annual message I shall address to the General Assembly. I am very much obliged to you, general, for inviting my attention to the subject and thus affording me the opportunity of sustaining the position I have taken in regard to it by referring to your views. I am also greatly obliged to you for the photograph, which I hope to hand Mrs. Milton in a few days, to be preserved in my family. I am now about to leave here on to-day's train to visit my family, and shall be absent a few days. Immediately after my return to this place I will submit to your consideration a reply to the arguments of General Gilmer. In the meantime, I do not wish to be considered discontented with, though not convinced by, his arguments and conclusions. I am satisfied that much of the information he has received has been derived from surces connected with a movement made over twenty years ago, to divert commerce via Apalchicola to Columbus, to raillroads to that place from Pensacola and Mobile, and then the mighty efforts made by citizens of Georgia and Alabama upon the subject have been prompted by selfish motives and prejudicial to the best interest of this State rather than to perfect military defenses.

I have the honor to be, general, very respectfully,

JOHN MILTON,

Governor of Florda.

[28.]

SPECIAL ORDERS,
ADJT. AND INSP. GENERAL'S OFFICE, No. 276.
Richmond, Va., November 20, 1863.

* * * * * * *

VIII. Major N. R. Chambliss artillery, Provlisioal Army, Confederate States, will relieve Major J. T. Trezevant, artillery, Provisional

Army, Confederate States, commanding Confederate States arsenal at Charleston, S. C. Major J. T. Trezevant, on being relieved, will assume command of the ordnance depot now being established at Columbia, S. C.

* * * * * * *

By command of the Secretary of War:

JOHN WITHERS,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

[28.]

STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, GEADQUARTERS,

Columbia, December 14, 1863.

Honorable J. A. SEDDON,

Secretary of War:

SIR: I have the honor to inclose you copies of a letter from Colonel Nathaniel Heyward, a very weatlthy planter and prominent citizen of the low country in this State, with a copy of the remarks of Generals Beauregard and Walker indorsed thereon, showing the inadequacy of

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*See VOL. XXVIII, Part II, p.450.

+Not found.

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