As the rebel authorities have since removed our prisoners from under fire in the city of Charleston, and these rebel officers being accordingly removed from Morris Island to this post and Fort Pulaski, there seems no necessity of keeping them for the original purpose for which they were sent, as General Hardee has stated that it was not the intention to expose our prisoners to the fire on Charleston. The granting of the above request will liberate one of my best regiments from guard duty and make it available for service in the field or garrison. I respectfully request to be informed, if you see fit to grant this request, to what point they are to be shipped.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. G. FOSTER,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH,
Hilton Head, S. C., January 8, 1865. (Received 15th.)

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

Chief of Staff, Armies of the United States:

GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter* of the 31st ultimo in regard to the organization of all the able-bodied negroes brought in by General Sherman's army to this department for service in this department, and beg leave to express my gratification at this decision, because I need troops for garrison duty very much, and I can soon make these men available for that duty. I have several officers whose military excellence and gallantry fully entitle them to promotion to be officers in the new regiments. I anticipate no difficulty whatever in organizing these regiments and in obtain made, for confirmation by the President. In obedience to your direction, as soon as the letter was received I submitted it to General Sherman, who desired that I might carry out the order as soon as he moved and the city was turned over to my command. Until such time be desired the services of all the negro men in the quartermaster's department in loading and unloading vessels and in other preparations for a forward movement.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. G. FOSTER,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH,
Hilton Head, S. C., January 8, 1865. (Received 15th.)

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

Chief of Staff, Armies of the United States:

GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter+ of the 31st ultimo relative to the removal of the families of rebel officers in Savannah beyond our lines. In obedience to your directions I at once showed the letter to General Sherman, who desired that I might execute the order myself, and do so as soon as his army had left

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* See Vol. XLIV, p. 847.

+ See Vol. XLIV, p. 846.

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