more than equaled his expectation, and the more so because a large portion of the brigade consists of recruits who have had but little opportunity for drill or exercise in the manual. General Sherman was much gratified, saying that the brigade was "a fine body of men. " While taking the command for having acquainted themselves thus well, the general would remind them it is only by improving every leisure opportunity, and especially the present one, in constant drill and the manual, that they can preserve to the brigade the reputation they have gained.

By order of Brigadier General W. W. Belknap:

O. D. KINSMAN,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS TWENTIETH CORPS,
Savannah, GA., December 29, 1864.

Brigadier General N. J. JACKSON,

Commanding First Division:

GENERAL: The Third Division is ordered to cross the river early to-morrow morning. The general commanding the corps directs that you take up, at daybreak to-morrow morning, in addition to the line you now hold, that now held by the Third Division.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. W. PERKINS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH,

Numbers 172.
Hilton Head, S. C., December 29, 1864.

Colonel C. L. Kilburn, assistant commissary-General of subsistence, U. S. Army, having reported at these headquarters in compliance with Special Orders, Numbers 431, paragraph 47, current series, from the War Department, dated Adjutant-General's Office, Washington, D. C., December 5, 1864, is hereby announced as chief commissary of subsistence of this department, and will be obeyed and respected accordingly.

By command of Major General J. G. Foster:

W. L. M. BURGER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. NORTHERN DISTRICT, DEPT. OF THE SOUTH,
Morris Island, S. C., December 29, 1864.

Captain W. L. M. BURGER,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Department of the South:

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report that nothing of importance has occurred in this command since my last communication. Five deserters of the First South Carolina Infantry from Sullivan's Island and one of the Second South Carolina Artillery from James' Island have come into our lines. The general information brought by these men is the same as I already in our possession. They state that the details from the troops on Sullivan's Island that had been sent to Pocotaligo and Savannah (only about 150 men) returned last week. They represent a depressed, dispirited feeling as existing amongst officers and men, and give various rumors that are flying about camp which tend to corrobo-