General Walker's command should compel him to withdraw them sooner.

If compelled to retreat, Brigadier-general Walker will retire, fighting, to his position behind the defensive lines indicated in Circular Orders of the 25th November, 1863, combining his movements, as far as practicable, with those of Brigadier-General Robertson.

Brigadier-General Walker will be re-enforced by Charles' light battery, from the Seventh Military District.

II. The dispositions of Brigadier-General Wise, Robertson, and Walker, must be made and carried out number the supposition that no re-enforcements can be furnished them at present from the other districts.

They must impress upon their troops the necessity of executing all orders with alacrity and regularity. When an attack is made upon the enemy, it should be done in masses, and with impetuosity, regardless of the numbers opposed to them, which are nearly always exaggerated. Their troops should remember that confidence is more than half the battle. They should trust in the valor of men fighting in a just cause.

By command of General Beauregard:

THOMAS JORDAN,

Chief of Staff.

ROYAL'S, December 9, 1863.

Brigadier-General JORDAN:

It is proper that I should notify the commanding general that I have just been informed by Captain Behre, post commissary, that there will not be meat enough for issue to the troops of this command to-morrow without calling on our reserve supply in Saint Andrew's. This supply is but a few days' rations, and was ordered by the commanding general for a different contingency. I have ordered it used for this occasion.

JOHNSON HAGOOD,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

[Indorsements.]

Referred by General Beauregard to chief commissary, for attention, December 9, 1863.

OFFICE CHIEF COMMISSARY,

Charleston, December 10, 1863.

Respectfully returned.

I some time ago informed the commanding general that there was a scarcity of meat, and that interruptions were to be expected.

the failure of beef for this command would not have occurred so soon if transportation on the Savannah Railroad were more prompt, or if it were not deficient on the other railroads likewise, all of which should have brought in cattle yesterday, but none of which did so. By the Savannah Railroad, fifteen car-loads were brought in this morning, being only a portion of a lot which has been waiting transportation at Stockton for some three weeks.

H. C. GUERIN,

Major, and Chief Commissary of Subsistence.

35 R R - VOL XXVIII, PT II