I desiere to add that, in my opinion, it would not be well to accede to the request of the petitioners. I propose to turn over to the Treasurey agent all the cotton camptred in Charleston, according tothe plan pursued at Savannah. Great care will be taken to preserve the means of indentifuying such lots as are claimed by loyal men, so that they can go before the Court of Claims with as good a case as they can rasonably expect or desire.

Vey resepctfully, your obedient servant,

Q. A. GILLMORE,

Major- General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH,
Hilton Head, S. C . March 25, 1865.

Major General W. T. SHERMAN,

Commandingn Military Division of the Mississippi:

GENERAL: Your letter* to Geenral Foster of the 12th instant from Fayetteville reached me on the 19th. The expedition to Sumterville is now in course of preparation, and the examination of Santee, Black, and Great Pedee Rivers and Lynch's Creek will have to decide the route to be taken. Fur thousand white troops of this command have been sent to North Carolina to aid the movement from the coast in that quarters. I am informad that they were landed at Moregead City. I am now sendign to the same place the man belonging to your army that have accumulated here to the number of 7,000 and upward. one thousand of them have already gone, and I await transportation for the rest. The steamer America starts this morning, fully loaded with clothing, viz, 65,688 pairs cavalry boots, 140,000 pairs stockings, 20,000 hats. Most of this wsas taken from one of your own vessels, left in reserve here. I can spare from my own supply of clothing the following, which will be sent as soon as possible, viz, 12,000 pairs infantry pants, 6,000 pairs cavalry pants, 20,000 pairs drawers, 45,000 pairs stockings, 20,000 sack coats, 5,000 hats, 12,000 caps, 10,000 woolen blankets.

I am, sire, very resepctfully, your obedient servant,

Q. A. GILLMORE,

Major- General.

HDQRS. NORTHERN DISTRICT, DEPT. OF THE SUTH,
Charleston, S. C., March 25, 1865.

Major General Q. A. GILLMORE,

Commanding Deaprtmetn of the South:

GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 24th instant diecting me to take and retain possession of allproducts of insurrectionary States that may have found their way to Charleston or within my lines, with the evidednt or apparent intention of runnin g the blockade at Charleston or elsewhere.

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

JOHN P. HATC,

Brigadier-General, Commandingn.

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*See Part II, p. 804.

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