I wish measures to be taken to open the inland passage between Charleston and this place, in rear of James' and John's Islands.

Please order Captain Gilmore, chief telegraph operator of the department, to return to these headquarters by the first opportunity.

I wish measures taken at once to protect the Government against State recruiting agents. I have addressed a letter to General Saxton,* a copy of which has also been sent to the senior officer on recruiting service in Charleston, which, I hope, will so far place those officers on the alert that no impositions can be practiced by said agents should once send them here, regardless of any permit they may have.

Very respectfully, yours,

Q. A. GILLMORE,

Major-General, Commanding.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. NORTHERN DISTRICT, DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH, Numbers 37.
Charleston, S. C., March 1, 1865.

* * *

IX. Captain Adolphus von Luttwitz will cause to be prepared a report, accompanied with a chart, of the condition of the defenses of the harbor of Charelston at the date of its evacuation by the enemy. He will include in the report the state of the harbor itself, width of channel, may obtain of the manner of defenses determined upon by the enemy in the event of an attack by our land or naval forces, either singly or combined.

* * *

By command of Brigadier General John P. Hatch:

LEONARD B. PERRY,
First Lieutenant, Fifty-fifth Mass. Vols., and Actg. Asst. Adjt. General

HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES, POST OF CHARLESTON,

Charleston, S. C., March 1, 1865.

Lieutenant L. B. PERRY,

Fifty-fifth Regiment Massachusetts Vols., Actg. Asst. Adjt. General:

LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to ask attention of the brigadier-general commanding to the following statement: Quantities of cotton are secreted in various parts of the city. A city ordinance forbids cotton being stored within the city limits, except in brick houses west of East Bay street. The reason for this law was that the prevailing spring winds in this locality or from the west, which would render the storage of cotton on the west of East Bay street dangerous in case of fire. The store-houses upon the wharves in the Cooper River will contain 150,000 bales. To guard against fire, to get the cotton into one neighborhood, and to facilitate its ready shipment after it shall have been turned over by the quartermaster's department to the Treasury agent, it is desirable that all cotton shall, as rapidly as it can be discovered and transportation procured, be placed in the storehouses adjacent to the wharves on Cooper River. Since the amount may be large and some cotton may be discovered outside the limits of

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*See p. 640.

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