information being valuable on account of the specific knowledge which he possess with regard to the works on James Island and in the city.

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

A. SCHIMMELFENNIG,

Brigadier-General, Commanding District.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH,
Hilton Head, S. C., August 6, 1864.

Brigadier General E. E. POTTER,

Commanding Dist. of Beaufort, Hilton Head, &c., Beaufort, S. C.:

GENERAL: By direction of the major-general commanding, I have the honor to forward herewith extracts from a letter from Brigadier-General Schimmelfennig, commanding Northern District, Department of the South, dated headquarters Northern District, Department of the South, Morris Island, S. C., August 3, 1864:

Last night two persons in a boat coming out from Charleston were picket up by our picket-boats. They represented themselves as officers of the Third Ohio Volunteers, lately brought to Charleston and now escaped. They give their names as B. C. G. Reed, captain, Third Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and T. B. Stevenson, first lieutenant, Third Ohio Volunteer Infantry. They relate that there are 650 U. S. officers now confined in the jail at Charleston, lately brought there from Macon, Ga. Two other parties of prisoners of about 1,000 were started for Charleston, but were, for some reasons, not sent through. The officers report that communication between Charleston and Atlanta has been interrupted since the 29th ultimo. They also state that a party of 60 U. S. officers effected their escape somewhere near Charleston, and will try to get through our lines. I shall do everything possible on my front to meet and assist them, sending out parties on Kiawah, Seabrook, and John's Islands.

The major-general commanding directs that parties be sent out immediately to their assistance, if possible, on a reconnaissance for that purpose.

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

THOMAS J. ROBINSON,

First Lieutenant Twenty-first U. S. Colored Troops, A. A. A. G.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF WEST FLORIDA,
Barrancas, August 6, 1864.

Major GEORGE B. DRAKE,

Asst. Adjt. General, Hdqrs. Dept. of the Gulf:

MAJOR: I have the honor to report that Captain Jouett, U. S. Navy, commanding gun-boat Metacomet, arrived at the Pensacola navy-yard this soon. He left Mobile Bay under flag of truce, with the wounded of both sides on board of his vessel, and gives verbally the following glorious news:

Admiral Farragut passed the bar yesterday, the 5th instant, at 8 a.m., with his gigantic fleet, comprising four monitors and fourteen additional armed vessels. The admiral directed the movements of his numerous vessels from the maintop of his flag-ship Hartford. When abreast of Fort Morgan, the monitor Tecumseh, Captain Craven, commanding, was blown up with a torpedo and sunk within a minute. The rest of the fleet passed the fort about 9 o'clock, well cut up, and captured, after a most sanguinary fight, the rebel ram Tennessee, with Admiral Buchanan and all the officers and crew.