CHARLESTON, S. C., December 17, 1863.

Brigadier General W. M. GARDNER,

Quincy, Fla.:

The military necessities of the case require that you should permit no subsistence stores needed for the army to be removed from the limits of your command to be sold out of the limits of that command. Answer.

By order of General Beauregard:

THOMAS JORDAN,

Chief of Staff.

ROYAL' HOUSE, December 17, 1863.

Brigadier-General JORDAN,

Chief of Staff:

Colonel Simonton reports the flag of truce of the enemy was met to-day at 11 a. m. They did not have the boxes which they intended to pass through or lines, and were unable to fix any definite time for their delivery. They desired permission to send them over, at any time they were informed that whenever we received notice that the boxes were ready for delivery, they would be received by an officer especially charged with that duty.

The enemy are still at work on the upper end of Dixon's island, and to-day they had 50 men engaged on it.

JOHNSON HAGGOD,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HDQRS. SIXTH MIL. DIST., DEPT. S. C., GA., AND FLA., December 17, 1863-7.30 a. m.

General G. T. BEAUREGARD,
Commanding, &c.:

GENERAL: I arrived here last night. In your general orders, Schulz's battery was named as the one to be kept at Adams Run. It was at Willstown, and I ordered it to be relieved by another battery. This gave occasion to General Robertson's protest against its removal from Willstown. That protest was superserviceable, and it movement to my responsibility. Since my arrival, however, your orders for Captain Schulz to exchange two of his pieces, temporarily, for two 10-pounder Parrott guns, and the subsequent order to him to replace one of his other pieces for the Parrott gun here, indicate that his battery is to remain at Willstown, as, I presume, the Parrott guns are to remain there.

Unless, then,your order otherwise, I will retain Schulz's battery there with the Parrott guns until the siege pieces ordered up arrive, and, in the meantime, while the exchange and placing of his guns are going on, I have ordered a section of Charles' battery, which I found here, to be sent to Willstown to re-enforce, temporarily, at Willstown. As soon as the three Parrott guns are in position there, I will recall the section of Charles' battery, for the reserve here. I have ordered the artillery of this district to report to Lieutenant-

36 R R-VOL XXVIII, PT II