abatis soon completed, it appeared indispensable to make the effort at once to take it before it should be brought to its greaters strength,and though I did not doubt that 2,000 men would have amply sufficed, the large force was brought out that no doubt of success might exist.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. W. BENHAM,

Brigadier-General.

[Inclosure Numbers 3.]

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH,
On board U. S. Transport Delaware, Stono River, S. C., June 10, 1862.

Brigadier General H. W. BENHAM,

Commanding Northern District, Department of the South:

SIR: In leaving the Stono River to return to Hilton Head I desire, in any arrangements that you may make for the disposition of your forces now in this vicinity, you will make no attempt to advance on Charleston or to attack Fort Johnson until largely re-enforced or until you received specific instructions from these headquarters to that effect. You will however provide for a secure entrenched encampment, where your front can be covered by the fire of our gunboats from the Stono on the left and the creek from Folly River on the right. After making all proper arrangements for the security of the camp, and the necessary provision for quartermaster's, commissary, and medical stores, if in your judgment you can safely leave the position you will return to your usual headquarters at Hilton Head, reporting to me verbally the state of affairs here; or, if delayed, reporting in writing by each boat that may leave here previously. You will be especially careful to have the free communication established and kept up by the repairs of the causeway between the old battery and Cole's Island.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

D. HUNTER,

Major-General, Commanding.

[Inclosure Numbers 4.]

HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES,
James Island, S. C., June 25, 1862.

Colonel D. LEASURE,

Commanding Second Brigade, First Division:

COLONEL: In your report* to General Stevens of the operation of your brigade on the morning of the 16th instant, in the attack upon the enemy's works at Secessionville, I find the following:+

After I had formed my command behind the hedge, ready to move again to the attack, I rode down to the troops lying back half a mile in reserve behind a hedge, and begged them, for God's sake, to come up to the front and support me in a charge,and was very coolly told that these troops did not belong to my division and could not obey either my order or General Stevens'. Of course this was a very distant support, and I did not feel at liberty to take the responsibility of acting without orders of General Stenvens.

I desire to know to what troops you refer as lying half a mile behind and to what officer you applied for assistance, and also whether you applied to your division commander; to Acting Brigadier-General Will-

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*See Report Numbers 13.

+Not found in Numbers 13. Original not on file.

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