HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,
Washington, August 8, 1863.

Brigadier General Q. A. GILLMORE,

Morris Island, S. C.:

GENERAL: Your letter of the 4th instant is just received.* It is very encouraging. In addition to the troops sent you by General Foster, the division of General Gordon, numbering between 3,000 and 4,000 is en route to report to you.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief.

FLAG-SHIP CHICORA,

Charleston Harbor, August 10, 1863.

Rear-Admiral JOHN A. DAHLGREN,

Commanding U. S. Naval Forces off Charleston:

SIR: Your communication of the 6th instant, to General Beauregard, Confederate States of America, complaining that after the capture of the launch belonging to your squadron the men were fired at in the water, has been referred to me.

I am haply to be able to state, from information received from the Confederate States naval officer in command at that time, that the men were not fired at in the water.

I highly appreciate your desire to conduct the war upon civilized principles, and it affords me great pleasure to join in so laudable a desire.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. R. TUCKER,

Flag Officer, Commanding C. S. Naval Forces, Charleston Harbor.

WASHINGTON, D. C., August 11, 1863.

Brigadier General Q. A. GILLMORE,

Morris Island, S. C.:

GENERAL: Your letter of the 7th instant, complaining of news-paper publications of your operations, by which information, very injurious to you and valuable to the rebels, is indirectly conveyed to the enemy, is just received. Colonel Jackson will be immediately arrested an punished.

To prevent a recurrence of the evil complained of, the Secretary of War directs that you arrest all newspaper correspondents in your command and keep them in confinement at Hilton Head until your operations against Charleston are concluded. He also directs that you take possession of the mails, and open all letters suspected of conveying military information intended for publication.

He also authorizes you to impose upon the writers of such letters such punishments as the nature of the case may require.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief.

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*See Operations on Morris Island, Part I, p. 199.

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