ing directs that you make the necessary details from your command to assist your pioneer corps in throwing up the work for the siege guns. Captain Robinson, Company C, First Michigan Artillery, will superintend the work, and will be at your headquarters in a short time.

Very respectfully,

C. CADLE, Jr.,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
In the Field, near Savannah, GA.

(Major-General Howard's Headquarters), December 15, 1864-2 p. m.

Major General H. W. SLOCUM, commanding Left Wing:

GENERAL: The general has just returned from a visit to Ossabaw and Wassaw Sounds, and directs me to inform you in full terms of the result. After having opened communication by signal with the gunboats and got possession of Fort McAllister, he went in person to the gun-boat below Fort McAllister, which proved to be a messenger-boat from the flag-ship lying at the mouth of Ossabaw Sound. After making communications to Washington, &c., he returned to Fort McAllister, and was overtaken by a messenger from General foster, just from Port Royal. The general went on board General Foster's boat, and proceeded with him down the bay in hopes to meet the admiral, but did not find him till after running around to Wassaw Sound. General Foster then proceeded to Port Royal at 12 m. yesterday, to returned with a fleet of transports loaded with 600,000 rations and ten days' forage for 40,000 animals, and promised to be here by to-night. He will also bring with him six 20-pounder Parrott guns and six 30-pounder Parrotts, with 300 rounds of ammunition per gun. The general then transferred to the admiral's vessel and returned to Fort McAllister, whence the admiral accompanied him as far up as the rice mill, where he had left his horse. He is now at General Howard's headquarters, and has sent for his camp to be transferred to a point near this, which is not far from the Seven-Mile Post on the main road leading west from Savannah to the Ogeechee, marked on our maps as a plank road. this point is about five miles from his present headquarters, on the Louisville road. General Foster has 5,000 men near the Charleston railroad, north of Broad River, and near enough to the railroad to command it, so that he feels sure that cars cannot pass either way; but he has been unable to reach the railroad itself with his men, on account of the enemy's force. the gun-boats and General Howard occupy all other avenues of approach to Savannah connecting with your right. Now, if you can close the Savannah River to navigation, and also get a force over the Savannah River to threaten in flank any dirt road leading out of Savannah, between the city and Coosawhatchie, the investment of the city will be complete and the enemy will have no escape.

The general wants to place the batteries expected from General Foster in position as near the heart of Savannah as possible, ready to bombard it as soon as possible. You may, therefore, send horses to the Ogeechee River, at King's Bridge, ready to haul those guns to your right front, and, as soon they are well in position, ready to open on the city, he proposes to demand its surrender. In the meantime our stores of all kinds will come up Ossabaw Sound and the Ogeechee to King's Bridge, and thence be hauled to the camps. The canal is admirably adapted to your use, and the general suggests that you send