VI. The Major-general commanding not desiring to displace any of his present division or brigade commanders, Brigadier General William Vandever, U. S. Volunteers, who has reported to these headquarters for assignment, will report to Major General W. T. Sherman, commanding Military Division of the Mississippi, for orders.

By order of Major General O. O. Howard:

SAML. L. TAGGART,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS SEVENTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Pocotaligo, January 16, 1865.

Captain TAGGART,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

CAPTAIN: General Blair requests me to acknowledge the receipt of a communication from General Howard in reference to a base for supplies for this corps, and to say that he has already sent detachments under charge of Lieutenant McQueen and Captain Henley to open communication with the Left Wing. A report will be forwarded as soon as they return. The general has positive information that a good wharf can be built, with nine or ten feet of water at low tide. There is also a good landing at or near Jenkins' plantation, on the Tullifinny River, about five mile above its mouth, where boats can land and discharge during four hours each tide. General Hatch has also tendered the use of his wharf, situated near the mouth of the Tullifinny, where boats can and do land and discharge during high tide. The distance from this point to General Hatch's wharf is about ten miles, about eight miles to Mackay's Point, and about six miles to Jenkins' Landing. As the distance to Beaufort is about twenty-two miles, only one bridge over the Whale Branch, and the road liable to become impassable by heavy rains, and at the same time it being necessary for the use of the Fifteenth Army Corps, the general would most respectfully request permission to build a wharf or dock at Mackay's Point, and have the supplies for his command landed there. While this work is being built boats can land an discharge at the other wharf and landing on the Tullifinny.

I inclose a sketch of the position of the different wharves, &c. * I also inclose a letter which General Hatch requested the general to send to General Howard.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. HICKENLOOPER,

Lieutenant Colonel and Asst. Insp. General, Seventeenth Army Corps.

HDQRS. DEPARTMENT AND ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE,
Beaufort, S. C., January 16, 1865.

Major-General BLAIR:

GENERAL: Your dispatches are just received, and I am pleased at the state of things there, but am anxious to open communication with Savannah. With reference to supplies, General Easton says that there is but four feet of water in the mouth of the Tullifinny River, and as the boats would be continually running on sand-bars I think for the

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* Not found.

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