met Messrs. Moore and Pennington, of Raleigh, here, and conferred with and ascertained the views of a number of leading citizens at my quarters. Before leaving he remarked that he had nothing more to say to Major-General Schofield than he had already communicated by letter, so that I suppose that his purposes and opinions are well known to the major-general. I was exceedingly pleased to hear him say that the line for most of the Treasury regulations had passed; that were he still Secretary of the Treasury, he should remove the restrictions so far as the acts of Congress permitted, and that he should advise as free trade as possible. Indeed these people cannot live without a speedy resumption of commerce with the North, and full liberty to sell the products of the soil. They want everything that the North sells, especially cheap clothing, food, agricultural implements, seeds, &c. In return they have nothing but a moderate stock of cotton, turpentine, and its kindred products, ground pease, and lumber. To send a purchasing agent who alone can buy these things, and must buy them at such a rate that he can afford to give the Government one-fourth, is to mock and starve them. The general sentiment of the people here-abouts is expressed by about these words: "For God's sake, tell us what we must do and we'll do it. " I send this by special messenger, and I shall send one by each train up (about every other day), who will deliver dispatches from us all, and to whom I hope may be committed anything from any staff department at Raleigh. If it is convenient, I wish that you might instruct him where to call at the last moment before leaving. If you think best I will instruct him hereafter to go no farther than General Paine's headquarters at Goldsborough, where, if you please, you might send dispatches of all kinds for Wilmington. Neither the Post-Office nor the Quartermaster's Department is of any use to me in these matters. I have no official copies (and few of any kind) of department orders since Numbers 21.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOS. R. HAWLEY,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH,
Hilton Head, S. C., May 11, 1865.

Bvt. Major General C. GROVER,

Commanding District of Savannah, Savannah, Ga.:

GENERAL: I am instructed to inform you by the major-general commanding that he transmits by the hands of Bvt. Major George E. Gourand, assistant inspector-general, Department of the South, a letter of instructions to Brevet Brigadier-General Washburn, commanding at Augusta, which remains open for your perusal. * He furthermore desires me to inform you that any instructions or orders pertaining to the general routine of business, which you desire to be transmitted to the above officer, you may be at liberty to dispatch through the same means.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

Q. A. GILLMORE,

Major-General.

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*See next, post.

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