Rodgers has received orders to enter at once and cover the construction of the battery. Expedition Numbers 2 will not get off before Thursday, Friday, or Saturday. I'll let you know in due time. In the mean time I shall be anxious to hear of the success in putting up the battery in one night. It will do you eternal honor. If will do you eternal honor. If Captain Rodgers retains all his gunboats that he covers you with I shall probably not join you; but I shall see. Report promptly what use can be made of Long Island to best advantage. We shall get some hills down there as soon as possible, but probably not till after Expedition Numbers 2. In the mean while suggest to Ridgers and Viele to get the brig from the Cut down there in the channel between Long Island and georgia shore.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

T. W. SHERMAN,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

If you have any time before Rodgers gets ready (and it is hoped not) you had better commence causeway, of the enemy wont's discover you too much.

T. S. W.

[Inclosure Numbers 9.]

HDQRS. CHIEF ENGINEER'S OFFICE, S. C.,
Daufuskie Island, February 4, 1862 - 8.30 a. m.

Brigadier General THOMAS W. SHERMAN,

Commanding Expeditionary Corps, Hilton Head, S. C.:

GENERAL: I have to report my arrival here last night at 10 o'clock in a row-boat. The Mayflower was cooling at Seabrook and nearly in a row-boat. The Mayflower was calling at Seabrook and nearly through. We are looking for her here now. The examination of Jones Island from Venus Point to Wight River (in the shortest line) develops the fact that the portion of Jones Island next Wright River, extending about one-quarter of a mile from the stream, is very low, soft, badly cut up creeks and marshy spots, and is unsuitable for a causeway. No good landing place can be found on Wright River without giving an undue length to the causeway. I therefore have made up my mind that if a road is to be constructed it must be directed upon Mud River. We are now ready to commerce the work on the island. The thousand poles of 5 to 6 inches in diameter have been cut, of which 1,900 have been transported to the new dock or wharf, ready to go on board of lighters or to be made into rafts, as circumstances may require. About 1,800 of the cut poles can be carried to the shore daily, the men to do this themselves, as there are no other means of land transportation here at present that can be put upon such work. The average distance to be carried is about 1 mile. I await orders from you to go on with the causeway. The wharf here will be finished to-day. It has 8 feet water at low tide at the head of it, and is strong enough to land everything on except heavy guns.

The gunboats have not returned from New River yet. I except to pull up in that direction to-day. Captains Sears takes a party to jones Island to-day to cut a wide zigzag swath through the reeds in a line running from Mud River across the narrow part of the island to the Savannah, in order that a fire communicated to the reeds at the upper end of the island shall not speared over the portion where the causeway is to be run. The enemy has seen us in Mud River, as reported by contrabands captured yesterday, and may watch our preparations closely. The attention to fire the long grass could be easily gratified at any