in the plan, &c., of Fort Clinch. In compliance therewith I submit the following as the most important, &c:

First. Fort Clinch is not, in my opinion, located so as to command property both the anchorage and the entrance channel. This will necessitate the erection of outer batteries to command the channel near the location of the rebel batteries and also of inner batteries to command the harbor.

Second. The proximity of a range of sand hills to the fort will afford cover to an enemy's advance to erect batteries against the fort or to assault the fort after a breach has been effected.

Third. The masonry bastionettes can easily be demolished by the rifled guns in use in the army and the flanking arrangements for the ditch be thus destroyed.

Fourth. The chemin de ronde can also be easily knocked down with rifled guns, and the ascent of the scarp thus be rendered tolerably easy to an assaulting column.

Fifth. the counter sloping glacis will afford greater facilities to an enemy's assaulting column than to the garrison.

The above constitute the main defects, to which I thought it my duty to call the attention of the department.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. G. FOSTER,

Major-General, Commanding.

HDQRS. DEPT. OF S. CAROLINA, GEORGIA, AND FLORIDA,
Charleston, S. C., September 3, 1864.

Major General J. G. FOSTER, U. S. Army,

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

GENERAL: About 6 p. m. on the 30th ultimo, an officer of the C. S. Army left Sullivan's Island in a small boat under flag of truce to meet a flat-of-truce boat of the United States which was at anchor off Battery Marshall. Whilst passing through Beach Channel, three shots were fired from your Morris Island batteries on our flag of truce. I presume this was done under some misapprehension on the part of your subordinates on Morris Island. The matter is brought to your notice for such explanation or action as you may think proper.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

SAM. JONES,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH,
Hilton Head, S. C., September 3, 1864.

Brigadier General R. SAXTON,

Commanding Northern District, Department of the South:

GENERAL: By direction of the major-general commanding I have the honor to transmit herewith official copies of reports made to and by Rear-Admiral J. a. Dahlgren, commanding South Atlantic Blockading Squadron, in regard to the firing into a flag-of-truce boat by our batteries at Morris Island.