flow their banks, and making the roads simply impassable. I came up to this point on the 25th, and with the troops here, Seventeenth Corps, have been demonstrating against the Salkehatchie, but that stream is out of its banks and we cannot cross. I only aim to drive the enemy over toward Edisto, a Little farther from our flank, when I move against the Charleston and Augusta road. I have in person reconnoitered the ground from Salkehatchie bridge back to Coosawhatchie, and find the country very low and intersected by creeks and points of salt marsh, making roads very bad, but I am pushing to get the Right wing here, and have official notice from general Slocum that he had the Twentieth Corps, General Williams, on this side the Savannah at Purysburg, and on the 25th the Fourteenth Corps, General Davis, would resume his march from Cherokee Hill, ten miles out of Savannah, where he was caught by the rain-storm, so that I expect to hear of the Left Wing and cavalry reaching Sister's Ferry to-morrow. A gun-boat and fleet of transports will attend the Left Wing up the Savannah River, and General Slocum is ordered to replenish his wagons, rendezvous at Robertsville, and report his readiness to me.

I expect on Monday or Tuesday next, viz, February 1, to be all ready, when I will move rapidly up toward Barnwell and wheel to the right on the railroad at Midway leaving Branchville to the right; after destroying that road I will move on Orangeburg, and so on to Columbia, avoiding any works the enemy may construct in my path, and forcing him to fight me in open ground, if he risk battle. I will use Hatch's division, of Foster's command (4,000), to cover my moment by posting it between this and Salkehatchie bridge. You will note that our position is now nearer Branchville than from Charleston. I get a few deserters and have made some poisoners, who report cavalry only between me and Barnwell and infantry between me and Charleston.

Of course, I shall keep up the delusion of an attack on Charleston always, and have instructed General Foster to watch the harbor close from Morris Island, and when he hears of my being on the railroad near Branchville to make a landing at Bull's Bay, and occupy the Georgetown road, twenty-four miles east of Charleston. My Chief difficulty will be to supply my Army, but on this point I must risk a good deal, based upon the idea that where other people live we can, even if they have to starve or move away.

Weather is now cold and clear. I will write again.

I am, with respect, &c.,

W. T. SHERMAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
In the Field, Pocotaligo, S. C., January 27, 1865.

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

Chief of Staff, Washington, D. C.:

GENERAL: In making up our list for brevets in Savannah I am satisfied we did an act of injustice to a most worthy brigade commander, Colonel Este, of an Ohio regiment, whose name and credentials you will find in the list accompanying the official reports. I would respectfully urge that he be breveted brigadier-general on a perfect footing with those made by the Secretary of War at Savannah. I am afraid the lists are made so extensive that the Army will be over-burdened