HDQRS. DEPT. OF S. CAROLINA, GEORGIA, AND FLORIDA,
Charleston, S. C., March 31, 1864.

General S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General, C. S. Army:

GENERAL: The pressure of my duties while in Florida, and since my return to these headquarters, has prevented me from bringing to the notice of the War Department the extraordinary paper, a printed copy of which came into my possession while in Florida (see inclosed). The paper needs no comment, save that, as was to be expected, it feel into the hands of the enemy, as shown by the newspaper slips attached, and I am assured was one of the main causes of the expedition to Jacksonville, and thence toward Lake City. The enemy's officers, with a flag of truce, on one occasion spoke freely of this paper to an officer of my staff, and were evidently impressed with the tenor of the production. I was informed by sundry persons that it had been widely distributed, and was even stuck up on trees at the cross-roads in several parts of the State of Florida. Having no control over the officers concerned, it becomes my duty to lay the matter before those who have.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

G. T. BEAUREGARD,

General, Commanding.

[Inclosure No. 1.-From the New York Herald.]

NEW YORK, Saturday, February 20, 1864.

The news from the Southwest to-day is important. The latest account from General Sherman's expedition reports that he has destroyed the bridges on the Mobile and Ohio Railroad, thereby severing the connection between General Polk's forces. He had advanced to a point between Polk and Montgomery. Mobile rebel papers report a battle at Enterprise, Miss., with unknown results. General Longstreet is reported to be in retreat beyond French Broad River to avoid the movements of our forces. Nashville and Knoxville are now connected by railroad, with the exception of about 700 yards at the bridge at Loudon, which will be repaired in a few days. General Johnston had concentrated his troops at Dalton, with picket-lines advanced to Ringgold; but he is not in a position to re-enforce General Polk. Governor Brown, of Georgia, has ordered all citizens, with their property, to move to the east side of the Chattahoochee River on pain of having their property confiscated.

The news from Florida is highly important, and will be read with more than ordinary interest by the general public. General Gillmore's expedition to that State has been crowned with complete success. The rebels offered considerable opposition to the progress of our arms in different parts of the country, but the spirited and well-disciplined Union troops broke through every barrier and carried their flag onward to victory. The letter of our correspondent who accompanies the expedition fully details all the movements of the army from the time of its departure to the period of the last skirmish with the rebels. Among many most extraordinary things brought to light by this invasion is a document emanating from the commissariat department of Quincy, Fla., in which there is