WASHINGTON, D. C., September 13, 1863.

Major-General GILLMORE,

Morris Island, S. C.:

GENERAL: The President and the Secretary of War are both of opinion that you ought not to leave Morris Island at the present time. There are special reasons for this.

A vacant brigadier-generally is left for some officer of your command. Please send your recommendations immediately.

Yours, truly,

H. W. HALLECK.

GENERAL ORDERS, HDQRS. DEPT. OF THE SOUTH, No. 76. In the Field, Morris Island, S. C., September 13, 1863.

So much of General Orders, No. 74, as provides for furloughs to be granted "to 2 men from each company or detachment serving a battery, without regard to the number present for duty," is hereby countermanded. The same ratio will be observed for detachments as for regiments. All the troops in the field belonging to any one regiment will be united for this purpose, and the selections made by the senior officer on duty.

By order of Brigadier General Q. A. Gillmore:

ED. W. SMITH,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

FORT MONROE, VA., September 15, 1863. [Received 11.55 a.m.

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief:

The steamer Nellie Pentz has arrived from Hilton Head, S. C., which place she left on Saturday, the 12th, at 8 a.m. Captain Biggs reports the arrival of the steamer Cosmopolitan at Hilton Head, from Morris Island, on Friday evening, and that the captain of that vessel told him that on Thursday night, at 12 o'clock, one-half of James Island was taken by our troops, including all but two of the rebel batteries, and that the white flag was flying over the shattered walls of Fort Moultrie. Captain Biggs passed Charleston Bar at 4 p.m. on Saturday, at which time he saw what he took to be a white flag on Fort Moultrie. There was no firing, and two monitors were lying between Forts Moultrie and Sumter. I do not credit the report, because it does not appear reliable. The steamer Cosmopolitan does not always circulate correct news, as I know. Nothing of this kind appears in the Richmond papers of the 12th; besides the Confederate flag can easily be mistaken for a white flag at a distance. The flag-of-truce boat went up yesterday, and is expected down to-night or to-morrow morning, when I shall be able to give you the correct news.

J. G. FOSTER,

Major-General.