CHARLESTON, S. C., December 14, 1863.

General S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General, Richmond, Va.:

Report of sinking, during a gale, of monitor Weehawken in Charleston outer harbor is confirmed, with 28 lives lost. Nothing of importance from Sumter. Enemy still sodding and improving their Morris Island batteries.

G. T. BEAUREGARD.

(Copy to Governor Bonham.)

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPT. S. C., GA., AND FLA., Numbers 271.
Charleston, S. C., December 14, 1863.

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VII. First Lieutenant George E. Dixon, Twenty-first Regiment Alabama Volunteers, will take command and direction of the submarine torpedo-boat H. L. Hunley, and proceed to-night to the mouth of the harbor, or as far as capacity of the vessel will allow, and will sink and destroy any vessel of the enemy with which he can come in conflict.

All officers of the Confederate army in the department are commanded, and all naval officers are requested, to give such assistance to Lieutenant Dixon in the discharge of his duties as may be practicable, should he apply thereof.

By command of General Beauregard:

JNO. . OTEY,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

CHARLESTON, S. C., December 15, 1863.

Brigadier General JOHNSON HAGGOD, James Island:

You are authorized to relieve the 100 men in Sumter by a like number from some brigade.

THOMAS JORDAN,

Chief of Staff.

SAVANNAH, December 15, 1863.

General G. T. BEAUREGARD,

Commanding Dept. S. C., Ga., and Fla., Charleston, S. C.:

GENERAL: In compliance with your instructions, I visited Columbus, GA., and devoted two days to the examination of the approaches to that city, and gave Captain Moreno, the local engineer, instructions as to the defense of the roads leading from the direction of the enemy, i. e., from West Point, Opelika, and Montgomery. The country around Columbus is of such a character that it is difficult to locate a line of defensive works without giving a development too great for any garrison that we can hope to place there. But as the town and public property may at no distant day be exposed to raids of mounted troops, I directed the engineer officer as to the location of certain works on the probable approaches already named. Slave