lights, and commanders of regiments or battalions with Roman candles; and the pickets of each regiment or battalion will also be supplied with tarred links or light balls; if possible, one to each 100 yards to be occupied. Each commander and officer will take with him matches, or means of quick ignition. The signal and light materials will be used only an emergency, and each morning on the returning of the advanced parties these will be brought in and carefully protected from the weather, so as to be in readiness for immediate use.

The above are the general dispositions to be made for guarding against and repelling an attack. This, it is believed, will be made at two or three points, at very nearly the same moment, should the attempt be made to carry the island by a coup de main. Should the attempt be made to carry the upper end at Battery Marshall, with course, be slow, and directions can be modified to suit the circumstances.

With reference to the assault by boats, it is apprehended that an attack will be made at Battery Marshall, and one or two others, on the beach westerward toward Batteries Beauregard and Rutledge. On the approach of boats at any part of the shore, however, they are to be attacked by the pickets, who will deliver their fire as accurately and as rapidly as possible. The commanding officer of the pickets will support them with the reserves, and will cause a signal to be made that he is attacked at that point, by burning a blue light, which immediately after ignition will be thrown, if possible, into a boat; at the same time he will cause the links and light balls, which should previously have been placed in aline near the shore, to be in readiness to be fired, and will send word of the state of things to the commander of his supporting force in rear. The latter will be in readiness to support or cover his pickets, as the case may require.

Commanding officers of pickets on the right and left will cause their links and light balls to be in readiness for ignition; and if the attack extend in their direction, will act as just before described. Should the attack not be repulsed by the fire of the advance before retiring, the links and light balls will be fired, and the pickets will fall back quietly, and in as good order as possible, on the main body.

Care must be taken the have the lights well ignited, as on that the prevention of the confusion, which is to be guarded against in night operations, will in a great measure depend. The main body of the troops opposite the point attacked will hold its position. Pickets in the immediate vicinity will also retire on their supports, being careful to light up the ground they leave.

So soon as the front is cleared of the advance, the fixed light batteries, which will bear on the point of the enemy's landing, will be opened, with grape principally, to strike the beach within about 50 yards of the shore. The infantry will also pour in its fire heavily and steadily, endeavoring to cause its shots to ricochet, aiming low and carefully.

The front being clear on the right and left, the batteries and troops stationed there will cross their fire with those directly engaged in the front of the enemy whenever it can be done with safety.

On no account must any troops fall back beyond the first line of sand-hills, and the batteries are to be defended and protected at all hazards. When a battery is in danger of being taken by assault, a