II. Lieutenant Colonel James F. Hall, First New York Volunteer Engineers, is detailed as provost-marshal-general of the department and will be obeyed and respected accordingly.

III. Paragraph 3, General Orders, Numbers 47, current series, from these headquarters, is hereby revoked.*

By command of Major General J. G. Foster:

W. L. M. BURGER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

WASHINGTON, June 11, 1864.

Major General J. G. FOSTER,

Commanding Department of the South, Hilton Head, S. C.:

GENERAL: Your notes of the 7th instant, marked private, are just received. I have no opportunity to communicate with General Grant with regard to their contents, as the telegraph line is not in operation to his headquarters, but will give you his views as I understand them.

In directing General Gillmore to bring to Fortress Monroe all troops in his department not required to hold our positions there on the defensive, General Grant did not intend that no demonstrations or tracks should be made against the enemy which the commanding general should deem feasible. He will expect you to employ your troops in the way you may deem most advantageous. It is proper to remark in this connection that General Gillmore has recently reported that he left more troops in the Department of the South than he deemed absolutely necessary for a simple defense, and that he has evidence that a greater portion of Beauregard's forces are now in front of Richmond. He therefore recommends that, if no offensive operations are intended there, at least 5,000 men can be spared from your department. This recommendation was submitted to General Grant, but no action on it has been taken by him.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. W. HALLECK,

Major-General and Chief of Staff.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH,
June 11, 1864.

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

Chief of Staff, Armies of the United States:

GENERAL: I have the honor to inclose you copy of communication+ received this day from Colonel William A. Howard, commanding Thirteenth Regiment New York Volunteer Artillery, and would respectfully suggest that this regiment, with the boats referred to, be ordered to this department. Colonel Howard has served with me in North Carolina, and it was on my suggestions that the boats were built. They can be of great service in this department, being particularly adapted to these waters, as they are of light draught, and can navigate the internal passages from Morris Island to Florida. There are other reason why I think the service would be benefitted

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* The revoked paragraph constituted a Board "to hear appeals from persons held responsible by Boards of Survey for loss or damage to public property."

+ Not found.

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