mand of the Department of he South, consisting of the States of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.

II. For the convenience of military operations and the administration of department affairs this department is divided int three districts, to be constituted as follows:

1st. The first to be called the Northern District, will comprise the States of South Carolina, Georgia, and all that part of Florida north and east of a line extending from Cape Canaveral northwest to the Gulf coast, just north of Cedar Keys, and its dependencies, and thence north to the Georgia line. The headquarters of this district will be at Port Royal, S. C., and Brigadier General H. W. Benham (who will relieve Brigadier-General Sherman) is appointed to command this district and the troops therein, which troops will constitute a division to be called the First Division of the Department of the South. General Benham will receive from General Sherman all charts, maps, plans, reports, moneys, &c., with all official records, returns, &c., appertaining to the expeditionary command in this district.

2nd. The second, to be called the Southern District will comprise all of Florida and the islands adjacent south of the said line from Cape Canaveral, extending northwest to the Gulf coast, just north of Cedar Keys. The headquarters of this district and the troops will remain, as at present, under command of Brigadier General J. M. Brannan.

3rd. The third to be called the Western District, will comprise that part of Florida west of the line before described as running north from Cedar Keys to the Georgia line. The headquarters of this district will remain at Fort Pickens, as at present, with Brigadier General L. G. Arnold commanding.

* * * * * *

IV. The staff of the major-general commanding the department will consist of the following-named officers:

Major Charles G. Halpine, assistant adjutant-general; Lieutenant E. W. Smith, acting assistant adjutant-general; Colonel J. W. Shaffer, chief quartermaster; Captain J. W. Turner, chief commissary of subsistence.

Major R. M. Hough, Major Edward Wright, Captain R. W. Thompson, Captain W. R. Dole, Lieutenant S. W. Stockton, Lieutenant Charles E. Hay, Lieutenant A. M. Kinzie, Lieutenant A. O. Doolittle, aides-de-camp.

D. HUNTER,

Major-General, Commanding.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH, Numbers 2.
Port Royal, S. C., March 31, 1862

In relieving Brigadier General T. W. Sherman from duty in this department, pursuant to orders of the War Department, dated A. G. O., Washington, March 15, 1862, the major-general commanding desires to express to Brigadier-General Sherman his full appreciation of the amount and importance of the services rendered by the expedition under General Sherman's command and his thanks for the full, reliable, and valuable information as to the condition of the troops, defenses, &c., in this portion of the Department of the South, which General Sherman has furnished.

By command of Major General D. Hunter:

CHAS. G. HALPINE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.