GENERAL ORDERS, HDQRS. FIRST MILITARY DISTRICT, Numbers 19.
Mount Pleasant, S. C., April 6, 1864.

I. for present service and until further orders the First Military District will be divided into three sub-districts, as follows:

The First Sub-District will comprise the posts, fortifications,a nd troops on the main in Christ Church Parish, and will be commanded by Colonel L. M. Keitt, Twentieth South Carolina Volunteers, headquarters at Mount Pleasant.

The Second Sub-District will comprise the posts, fortifications, and troops on Sullivan's Island from the cove east to include Battery Beauregard on that island, and will be commanded by Colonel William Butler, First South Carolina Regular Infantry, headquarters within the limits of his command.

The Third Sub-District will comprise the posts, fortifications, and troops on Sullivan's Island and Long Island from east and north of Battery Beauregard, and will be commanded by Brigadier General N. G. Evans, headquarters within the limits of his command.

II. Each commanding officer will receive instructions with regard to the duties of his command; until these are issued all present arrangements must be carried out with as little deviation as possible.

III. The commanding officers of the different sub-district will report the location of their headquarters to the headquarters of the district as soon as possible.

By command of Brigadier-General Ripley:

HENRY BUIST,

Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.

ROYALL'S, April 6, 1864.

General THOMAS JORDAN,

Chief of Staff:

Colonel Simonton reports that this afternoon, about 3 o'clock, a gun-boat came up the Stono, apparently in tow of a steamer, and shelled John's Island. She then passed through the obstructions and shelled our pickets at Legare's place. At the same time a mortar schooner in Folly River threw some shell toward the thicket. A party of the enemy, about two companies, were observed to pass from Long Island over the Green Creek bridge to Horse Island, probably the relief pickets.

WM. B. TALIAFERRO,

Brigadier-General, Seventh Military District.

APRIL 6, 1864.

General WISE:

GENERAL: I am instructed by the commanding general to inform you that orders have been issued by him to Major General Patton Anderson to return the Twenty-sixth and Fifty-ninth Virginia Regiments as soon as the movements of the enemy in his front will permit. One of the regiments of your brigade will, however, have to return temporarily to the Second Military District until its place can be supplied by other troops, either cavalry or infantry.