ing from Picolata and Saint Augustine southward and operate from that point in any direction you may order, holding that point as a place to be covered. A force will be stationed at Yellow Bluff, with a small detachment on Saint John's Bluff. A permanent picket will be maintained at the railroad bridges leading from Amelia Island. A small permanent picket in Fernandina and mounted men to watch the shore of the island and the crossing from the mainland. All other pickets to be movable, and will not be suffered to locate themselves in any one place long enough to hazard their capture.

The regiment of Florida volunteer, an order for raising of which has been ordered from these headquarters, will, it is hope, furnish sufficient numbers for ordinary scouting and outpost duty. This regiment may be mounted if judged necessary by you, provided the men can furnish their own horses at Government prices. A detachment of Massachusetts cavalry will be sent down and will be remounted on horses previously turned over by them to the Seventy-fifth Ohio Regiment Volunteers. A portion of this regiment (the Seventy-fifth Ohio Volunteers) which you are able to mount may be retained as mounted infantry.

The One hundred and fifty-seventh New York Volunteers will be relieved from duty on Amelia Island and ordered to Beaufort. The regiment to relieve them, which you will order to take their place from Jacksonville, will take post at Fort Clinch. The one hundred and forty-fourth Regiment new York Volunteers will also be relieved from duty in your district. Orders for them will be sent you in a few days.

The duties expected from you with your command is to act on the defensive inhabitants, and annoying the enemy as much as possible by occasional, scouting and raiding parties. It must, however, be understood that you are to abstain from destroying the property of Union citizens; and, when considered practicable, you will communicate to these headquarters all intended movements. You will not allow any accumulation of commissary or quartermaster's stores at other points than Fort Clinch, Jacksonville, and Saint Augustine.

I have the honor to be, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. F. ANDERSON,

Major and Aide-de-Camp.

HILTON HEAD, June 7, 1864.

General HALLECK:

GENERAL: I wrote you a private letter this morning, but as I have a moment before the steamer leaves, I wish to add that if you desire me to act with caution in any demonstration that you desire me to make, that I will change the point of attack from Charleston to Savannah, where there will be less liability to disaster in case we do not succeed. I think I can make an attempt on Savannah without much risk.

Very respectfully, &c.,

J. G. FOSTER,

Major-General, Commanding.