may draw a limited amount of such stores on his certificate on honor that the stores are exclusively for himself and his family. He must pay cash, or deposit a pay account with the commissary, on which he may draw. Under no other circumstances whatever will commissaries be permitted to issue stores to officers, and then only such articles as are a part of the ration regularly issued to soldiers at the time.

L. B. NORTHROP,

Commissary-General.

Approved:

G. W. RANDOLPH,

Secretary of War.

HEADQUARTERS,
Wilmington, September 30, 1863.

Honorable JAMES A. SEDDON,

Secretary of War, Richmond:

SIR: I inclose you a letter which I have just received from General Clingman, in Charleston. I beg you will read it to the President. It tends to confirm anticipations I have long had. Troops are absolutely necessary here; I have but 600 men that I can move. It is time that some were being collected.

The whole plan of defense here depends upon the presence of force, as often demonstrated, and I fear, unless that is supplied, a great and irremediable disaster.

Very respectfully,

W. H. C. WHITING,

Major-General.

[Inclosure.]

SULLIVAN'S ISLAND,

September 28, 1863.

Major General W. H. C. WHITING:

GENERAL: I have learned that General Ripley, on examination yesterday from Fort Sumter of the enemy's works (I have not myself been in Sumter for some weeks), has become satisfied from the position of the enemy's guns, being protected by high traverses against the fire of this island, and being directed toward the inner harbor chiefly, that they will not attack us on Sullivan's Island at all. He also says that the guns in Wagner are chiefly directed seaward, as if to guard against an attack from the sea. It is his impression also that, when their batteries are completed, they will probably send off their monitors and retain only the Ironsides and some wooden vessels.

I think it probable, from the news of this morning from the North, that they will mostly direct the fire of their guns on the city to destroy it. I should not be surprised, therefore, if the monitors should go up to give you some trouble at Wilmington, The number of vessels that are running the blockade there, and other things, will make them very anxious to interfere there. If they do not design an immediate attack here, they may also send a part of their land forces up to endeavor to close that harbor. I make these suggestions because I know your force is small.

I see from the indorsement of the Secretary of War on Radcliffe's application for his companies, that he thinks it was dangerous for