supervision of the engineer department, and that Captain M. M. Gray, at present in charge of that corps, has been ordered to report to you at once.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

JNO. M. OTEY,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. DEPT. OF S. CAROLINA, GEORGIA, AND FLORIDA,
Charleston, S. C., February 24, 1864.

Dr. JOHN R. CHEVES,

Savannah, Ga.:

DEAR SIR: Your letter of the 10th instant has been received and answer deferred only from the pressure of the most urgent work, incident to the active operations of the troops now in Florida.

In no way can it be said that you have shown any lack of promptness or efficiency in the investigation into and preparation of incendiary projectiles and composition, but to the contrary, and it gives me pleasure to say that I have ever found you earnest in hour efforts to give these headquarters the benefit of your chemical knowledge and habits of industrious research. In no way are you responsible for the want of any definite or decisive results in the shells which have been prepared under your direction. These have been shown to be of the most effective description, in my belief, yet tried, and I have sought to have them used in such way as to establish their efficiency practically. Some experiments were made, which I had duly reported to you, that showed their value, but for the want of combustible material within range of our guns, little was accomplished. Since then I have made several ineffectual efforts to have further experiments made, but the artillery officers have reported obstacles. Recently I directed an experiment to be made at a target on James Island, the result of which has not been communicated.

Until further experiments have been made it will be best to suspend further preparation of these shells. The phosphorus of which you speak it will be best to turn over to the care of Lieutenant Cunningham, to relieve you of its charge, but subject to your future orders; that is, it must not be used except under special instructions, either from these headquarters, the chief of the Ordnance Bureau, or yourself.

If you will render me some statement of the money advances which you have made in connection with these investigations, I will seek to have the matter placed at once in such shape as may cause you to be refunded.

The great trouble has been that we have had no gun in position with range to reach the enemy's shipping in Light-House Inlet or the StoNumbers

To relieve you also of all further occasion of having to be subjected to expenses it will be best for you to have all work done hereafter in the preparation of these shells under Lieutenant Cunningham, and I accept your tender of your assistance to that officer as another evidence of your cheerful, sincere desire to render all possible assistance.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

G. T. BEAUREGARD,

General, Commanding.

41 R R-VOL XXXV, PT I