the Stono (to which I presume he intended to be Burden's plantation) for the purpose of obtaining pumpkins, which he heard were very numerous at a plantation where two old negroes resided, but through his ignorance of the localities he entered the Aberpoolie Creek, and must have landed at Walpole's plantation, where he got lost in searching for these negroes. He passed entirely across the island and went over on Wadmalaw as far as Rockville, from which place he saw the Yankee observatory on Clark's Island, but not knowing to which party it belonged, he concluded to retrace his footsteps. (Some of the patrol had been his footprints going and returning from Rockville and endeavored to follow it, but could not do so on account of the numerous old fields, &c.) On his arriving at Dr. Curtis' place, where the roads from the two islands intersect each other, being much fatigued and very hungry, and seeing a cart approaching and the negro Paul riding a horse, he concluded to ask for assistance, which was apparently granted, but Paul, riding on ahead, gave information to 2 men of the Rebel Troop, stating that if they would hide themselves he would bring the prisoner along in the cart and they could capture him, which they did. On their arrival in camp, the condition of the prisoner from exposure and fatigue was such as to require the attendance of the surgeon. This morning he is much improved, but still so prostrated that the surgeon advises that he should be allowed to remain a day longer before removal.

The prisoner is a very intelligent and educated fellow from New York, and gives information which, if true, may be of value to us. He says that he heard General Gillmore state that he had but 18,000 effective men in Stono Inlet; that the forces at that point were being gradually removed, and from the vicinity of Charleston; that a council of officers had been called the other day, and he had heard that they (the officers) had said that the siege of Charleston was "about played out;" that General Gillmore expected to remove his headquarters to Hilton Head. He also heard that Savannah was to be the next point of attack, by way of the Ogeechee River. He appears to know but little about our fight on the morning of the 25th, but states that he believes that 3 or 4 were killed and 7 wounded. The Marblehead was somewhat injured. I also heard of many of the negroes that escaped from this and the neighboring islands. The men have been hired by the Government, but the women and children were perfectly destitute, as the Government had stopped issuing rations to them, and he was sorry to say they lived by prostituting themselves with the soldiers; but I shall send him over to your headquarters as soon as the surgeon pronounces him capable of undertaking the journey.

I would respectfully bring to your notice the conduct of the servant Paul, and request that he be rewarded in some way for his fidelity and honesty. Such a measure would tend to have a most beneficial influence upon the negroes about the camp, for he could with perfect safety to himself have assisted the prisoner to escape to the enemy by means of a canoe, and the numerous little creeks that lead into the Kiawah.

I am, captain, respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN B. L. WALPOLE,

Captain, Commanding Advance Forces.

P. S.-In corroboration of the statement of the prisoner about his having passed up the river in a small boat with 2 other men, I would