GRAHAM'S, S. C.,

February 7, 1865.

Major General O. O. HOWARD, U. S. Army,

Commanding, &c.:

GENERAL: I have the honor to propose that if the troops of your army be required to discontinue burning the houses of our citizens I will discontinue burning cotton. As an earnest of the good faith in which my proposition is tendered I leave at this place about 300 bales cotton unburned, worth, in New York, over a quarter of a million, and in our currency one million and a half. I trust my having commenced will cause you to use your influence to insure the acceptance of the proposition by your whole army. I trust that you will not deem it improper for me to ask that you will require the troops under your command to discontinue the wanton destruction of property not necessary for their sustenance.

Respectfully, general, your obedient servant,

J. WHEELER,

Major-General, C. S. Army.

HEADQUARTERS FOURTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Bamberg, S. C., February 7, 1865.

Major-General HOWARD,

Commanding Department and Army of the Tennessee:

GENERAL: I have the honor to inform you that I effected a lodgment on the railroad at 9. 30 a.m. ; that I have four brigades in camp, covering the Cannon's Bridge road and the approaches to the Edisto River, with two brigades tearing up railroad. The other division is moving into camp, covering the trains.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN A. LOGAN,

Major-General.

HDQRS. DEPARTMENT AND ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE,
Midway, S. C., February 7, 1865.

Major General J. A. LOGAN,

Commanding Fifteenth Army Corps:

GENERAL: The general commanding is very much pleased that you did your work so quickly to-day. General Blair had three large bridges to build, very bad obstructions to clear away, and will have at least a third of the way to corduroy. The enemy seem to have a little force from Virginia, a little from Hood, almost a division, but his troops do not seem to be concentrated, being at Columbia, Branchville, Augusta, and probably still at Charleston. A great many barricades were made across the road, but they were all abandoned before our approach.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A.m. VAN DYKE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.