supplies and baggage make it, in my opinion, the best way to make the distribution. The garrison of Fort Pulaski was changed yesterday.

C. GROVER,

Brevet Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES,
Savannah, June 5, 1865.

ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL,

Headguraters Department of the South:

SIR: Brigadier-General Beal has already arrived. I understand that Brigadier-General Dwight, commanding the division, will soon be here; also Brigadier-General Fessenden. They rank as follows: Brigdiers-General Dwight, Brigadier-General Fessenden, and Brigadier-General Beal. I suppose Brevet Major-General McMillan, also belonging to that division, will arrive soon, but have no certain information with regard to it.

C. GROVER,

Brevet Major-General, U. S. Volunteers.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH,
Hilton Head, S. C., June 5, 1865.

Brevet Brigadier-General MOLINEUX,

Commanding, Augusta:

I inclose herewith a special order* dividing that portion of the State of Georgia within this department into three districts, to the command of one of which you have bee assigned, viz, District of Northern Georgia, with your headquarters at Augusta. I have selcted you for this command with sole reference to your fitness for it, and in the firm belief that my confidence in your zeal and ability is not misplaced. I desire you to take immediate steps to occupy all the imporant towns within your district. One company, or at most two, will probably be enough at each place except Augusta, where a larger force will perhaps be reguired. The object of this disposition of your forces in very general terms is to preserve good order, administer jutice, settle disputes, and ratify contracts between freedmen and the planters, and encourage the inhabitants, whites as well as blacks, to resume the avocations o peace. I desire you to inform the people far and within your command that slavery is abolished, and you will take special care to inform the free people that they are expected to labor their own suuport. You should establish munted patrls between Augusta and your several posts, and you are authorized to hire horses for that purpose. The men selected for this purpose should be of such intelligence that in addition to carrying dispatches simply they should be able to give you correct information of matters transpiring in the country through which they pass. An order will soon be published defining more definitely the statues of the freed people, establihing provost courts and schools, and for other purposes. I inclose copy of General Orders, Numbers 82,+

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*See Special Orders, Numbers 145, p. 626.

+From headquarters Department of the South, republishing General Orderrs, Numbers 94, War Department, Adjutant-General's Office, May 15, 1865 (announcing regulations for the muster out of volunteers troops), for which see Vol. XLVI, Part III, p. 1153.

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