alone. This naval officer appeared and made a plain statement of the facts which were entirely satisfactory, as the boat, which has since been recovered, was lost through accident. When this naval officer appeared I could not recognize him as an officer, fo rhe wore no insignia of rank whatever, only plain blue clothing wih brass buttons. I treated him with courtesy and politeness, and told him to fix the matter up if possible, as it was hard to for Mr. Fuller to lose his boat. He was not arrested; he was only done with the purest motives on my part that I might act properly and right in the matter. I am very sorry that his superior officers took offense at this matter when there was no wrong whatever intended on my part. I acted only as I thought proper, from the puresst motives.

Hoping that this statement willb e satisfactory, I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN W. HICKS,

Lieutenant-Colonel Seventy-sixth Pennsylvania Volunteers.

BALDWIN, February 21, 1864.

General TURNER:

There is authentic information that the enemy has from 10,000 to 15,000 men. I do not consider Baldwin as defensive against half that force, as it can be completely turned. I shall therefore go back to some position nigher Jacksonville, and think that the shortest line from the Saint John's to the creek will be the strongest. The men are pretty well tired out. Things go well.

T. SEYMOUR.

GENERAL ORDERS, HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH, Numbers 27.
Hilton Head, S. C., February 22, 1864.

I. Lieutenant Colonel Charles E. Fuller is hereby announced as chief quartermaster of the Tenth Army Corps and Department of the South.

All assistant and acting assistant quartermasters in the department will immediately report to him, by letter, their address and the nature of their duties.

* * * *

By command of Major General Q. A. Gillmore:

ED. W. SMITH,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. NORTHERN DISTRICT, DEPT. OF THE SOUTH,
Folly Island, S. C., February 22, 1864.

Brigadier General A. AMES,

U. S. Volunteers:

GENERAL: I am directed by the brigadier-general commanding to state that the steam-boats Sentinel and Delaware are now at Pawnee Landing and will be in readiness to receive troops, the former at 1 a. m., the latter at 5 a. m. to-morrow.