[Inclosure Numbers 1.]

U. S. SHIP VERMONT,

Port Royal Harbor, S. C., February 5, 1864.

Colonel REDFIELD DURYEE,

Sixth Cinnecticut Volunteers, Commanding Hilton Head, S. C.:

SIR: An officer of this ship in charge of the launch was arrested to-day on Hilton Head Island, by the order of Major Hicks, of the Seventy-sixth Pennsylvania Volunteers. He was obliged to walk to Seabrook (the officer who arrested him being on horseback) and back to his boat, from which he was kept away more than two hours.

I desire to call your attention to this exceedingly improper porceeding on the part of Major Hicks, in thus arrsting, without sufficient cause, an officer of another service, separating him from the men under his charge, and thus interfering with the performance of his duty.

The occasion which wuld justify the arrest of a naval officer while in the discharge of his duty would have to be an extreme one, and in expressing to you my conviction that that action of Major Hicks in this case is altogether injustifiable, I entertain the hope that measures will be taken to prevent the recurrence of such arrests for the future.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WM. REYNOLDS,

Commander, Commanding Naval Depot, Port Royal, S. C.

[First indorsement.]

HEADQUARTERS,
Hilton Head, S. C., February 8, 1864.

Respectfully referred to Lieutenant-Colonel Campbell, for his information, who will return this communication and direct Major Hicks to communicate in writing to these headquarters the reasons for his action, &c., as compained of within.

REDFIELD DURYEE,

Colonel Sixth Connecticut Volunteers, Commanding Post.

[Second indorsement.]

HDQRS. SEVENTY-SIXTH PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS,
Seabrook Landing, February 9, 1864.

I have the honor to state that I knew nothing of the occurence referred to by Captain Reynolds, except that Major Hicks told me on my arrival at these headquarters that he had seen the party that took Mr. Fuller's boat, and requested him to make statement to Captain Reynolds, that some action might be taken to procure another boat for Mr. Fuller, or pay him the money value of the one that was taken.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. C. CAMPBELL,

Lieutenant Colonel Seventy-sixth Pa. Vols., Commanding Outpost.

(Written statement made by Major Hicks forwarded to Commander Reynolds, February 10, 1864.)*

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*Not found; but see Hicks to Howell, p. 487.

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