iams, who was acting with him, and who was seldom 150 yards behind the hedge first referred to; to myself, when near that hedge, where the One hundredth Pennsylvania Regiment was reformed, or to General benham, who commanded the whole. You will understand, colonel, that troops on a filed cannot be moved without proper orders, and that any appeal of yours, however, correct, must have been useless unless made to some authority competent to give the order; hence the statement above quoted does great injustice to all the troops not of your immediate brigade, and requires that you should specify in the most distinct manner the officer in authority to whom you made the appeal to which you refer. An early reply is desired, in order that the reports of the battle may be submitted without unnecessary delay. There were no troops, that I am aware of, as far as a quarter of a mile in rear of the hedge behind which your reformed you command.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. G. WRIGHT,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

[Inclosure Numbers 5.]

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH,
Hilton Head, Port Royal, S. C., June 27, 1862.

Brigadier General H. G. WRIGHT,

Commanding U. S. Forces on James Island, S. C.:

GENERAL: Hearing from Washington that there is no probability of our receiving re-enforcements, and it being all-important to provide for the health of the command in the sickly season approaching, I have determined to abandon James Island, in order that the troops may be placed where, in so far as practicable in this climate, they may be out of the way of malarious influences, and where the picket duty will not be so exhausting on our men as at present.

In making this retrograde movement you will be governed by the instructions contained in my letter of the 19th instant, so far as they are applicable to this movement. You will, however, leave two regiments at North Ediston in addition to the one now there, remaining there yourself in command. The other regiments will be ordered to this place under Brigadier General I. I. Stevens, and will be here distributed. All the stores brought from the Stono and needed at Ediston will be transferred to the later place. I send you the Vanderbilt, Locust Point, Ben De Ford, Potomac, &c., all towing schooners. Take your time, and do not allow the transports to be overloaded. If you think best you can march over John's Island with the two regiments for North Edisto. After the sick and stores and your first detachment have been embarked you will transfer all the remaining portion of your command to the right bank of the Stono at Legareville. The smaller steamers will of course be used in towing in and out the schooner, and as there need be no hurry, a few days' delay for good weather will not be objectionable.

I have the honor to be, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

D. HUNTER,

Major-General, Commanding.