place for their delivery. As these men are due to you I must accede to your selection of time and place, as also to your further suggestion that should the day appointed prove too rough for the meeting, the following day at same hour shall be understood as appointed.

I will at the same time receive the families holding my permits to enter our lines, and will also turn over to your staff officer some boxes sent to me by their personal friends for U. S. officers, prisoners of war, in your hands at Charleston. These boxes contain such articles as clothing, writing paper, smoking material, and books. I have directed the batteries on Morris Island to cease firing from 8 on the morning of the 23rd instant until after your flag-of-truce boat has returned to Charleston.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. G. FOSTER,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH,
Hilton Head, S. C., September 19, 1864.

Brigadier General GEORGE D. RAMSAY,

Chief of Ordnance, U. S. Army, Washington, D. C.:

GENERAL: I have the honor to inclose you extracts from a letter received this day from General Saxton, commanding Northern District, which I forward to you for your information. The representations, and I feel satisfied that the ammunition expended in this department is al turned to the best possible account. My object in calling your attention to this matter is to explain my reasons for making what may appear large requisitions for ordnance stores. We are about out of ammunition for the guns in the front batteries of Morris and Folly Islands, and have been obliged to reduce the fire so as to almost entirely stop it, thereby giving the enemy opportunities of repairing Sumter, which they have taken advantage of with great energy.

I also inclose you extracts from General Saxton's letter concerning telescopic rifles. I think there is no place where from ten to fifty of these rifles could be used to better advantage than in the front works of Morris Island. I would respectfully suggest that from ten to fifty of these rifles be sent here.

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

J. G. FOSTER,

Major-General, Commanding.

[Inclosure.]

The shelling from the enemy's mortars was severe this morning in our front works, and having but little mortar powder, we were unable to reply effectually. The mortars were very much needed to-day. I regret that our ordnance supplies are so scanty that I cannot make a decent defense of this important post. No powder for the mortars; no suitable fuses for the fire on Charleston; no shells for the 30-pounder Parrotts, a most useful gun for silencing the enemy's fire; no material for making cartridge bags, or grease for lubricating the projectiles. I shall do all in my power with what I