the palisade draw on the bridge on the left wing has also been finished.

One of the rebel pickets on James Island, in conversation with one of the officers of the One hundred and twenty-seventh New York Volunteers, yesterday gave the following information:

He asked when we were going to attack them, saying that we had better hurry up, was they had a large force of negroes at work on James Island, building fortifications; also that a division had just returned from Virginia, mostly of South Carolina troops.

This agrees with the following advertisement in the Charleston Mercuty, annexed, underlined red:

GREAT BALL OF THE GERMAN VOLUNTEERS LATELY RETURNED FROM VIRGINIA,

Will be held in the Hibernia Hall, on Thursday, the 8th of October, 1863. All friends all invited to attend. Commences at 8 p. m. Muller's Musical Band is engaged for the evening.

THE COMMITTEE.

The large patrol sent to Seabrook Island has not yet been heard from.

I have the honor to be, general, your obedient servant,

A. SCHIMMELFENNIG,

Brigadier-General, Commanding First Brigade.

NOTE. - Forwarded to the Secretary of War, October 10, 1863.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH,
In the Field, Folly Island, S. C., October 10, 1863.

Lieutenant Colonel J. J. ELWELL,

Chief Quartermaster, Dept. South, Hilton Head, S. C.:

COLONEL: I am instructed to direct that for the purpose of carrying into execution the wishes of the major-general commanding in relation to the transmittal of the mails within the department, as communicated to you by him verbally, you cause two steamers to be put on the line between Folly Island and Hilton Head, one of which will leave each end of the route every day. These stammerers will carry such amount of freight as can be taken on and discharged without detaining them, but all other business will be made subservient to the carrying of the mails.

You will cause a mail agent to be placed on board each of these steamers, and mail-bags with padlocks and duplicate keys, one of the latter to be left at each end of the route.

The agents will report directly to the postmaster at Hilton Head and to the proper officer at these headquarters, and you will cause the assistant quartermaster at Stono and Pawnee Landing to be supplied with horses and equipments for the exclusive use of the mail agents, to enable them to reach headquarters promptly. After reporting at headquarters, the agent will be instructed to remain there until his return mail is ready.

The mail steamers will land at either Stono or Pawnee Landing.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ED. W. SMITH,

Assistant Adjutant-General.