HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH, Thunderbolt, January 3, 1865. Major-General HOWARD: GENERAL: Major-General Foster desires me to inform you that the following-named steamers are employed in transporting ihe Seven- teenth Corps from this point to Beaufort, S. C.: General Sherman, 500 men- Louisburg, 1,000 men; Fannie, 500 men; Crescent, 1,200 men; Spaulding, 1,000 men; Mary A. Boardinan, 500 men; Canonicus, 600 men- Delaware, 800 men; Cosmopolitan, teams and wagons; Golden Gate, teams and wagons; George Leary, teams and wagons; Wyoming, teams and wagons; Sylph, teams and wagons. These steamers will return as soon as they have landed their troops. I am, general, yours, very respectfully, EDWARD N. STRONG, Major and Aide-de-Camp. [Indorsement.] HDQRS. DEPARTMENT AND ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE, AS~avannah, Ga., January 3, 1865. Respectfully referred to Maj. Gen. F. P. Blair, commanding Seven- teenth Army Corps, for his information. By order of Maj. Gen. 0. 0. Howard: SAML. L. TAGGART, Assistant Adjutant- General. HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES, DISTRICT OF BEAUFORT, Beaufort, S. C., January 4, 1865. [Maj. Gen. F. P. BLAIR, Jr. :j GENERAL: I find that there is no transportation here and you must arrange to have a portion of yours brought. A hundred wagons at least mnst be sent forward while the troops are moving. There is forage, and I think the more animals you can get over the better. General Foster says the wharf is not built, and in consequence one boat with 1,200 men on board is stuck. Respectfully, 0. 0. HOWARD, Major- General. 7 A. M. P. S.Two boat loads have disembarked. SPECIAL ORDERS, HDQRS. THIRD DIV., 17TH ARMY CORPS, No. 4. Savannah, Ga., January 4, 1865. * * * * * * * 111. This command will be prepared to move at once. The First Brigade, Brig. Gen. M. F. Force commanding, will have the advance, followed by the Second Brigade, Col. G. F. Wiles commanding. The artillery, Lieutenant Bailey commanding, will follow in rear of the infantry. Trains in same order as the troops, followed by ordnance and head- quarters trains. Ambulances will follow in rear of each brigade. By order of Brig. Gen. M. D. Leggett: J. C. DOUGLASS, Assistant Adjutant- Ge~r