was kept up between the inhabitants of this city and the enemy and that the members of the city government would not assist me in preventing it) I placed the city under martial law on the 12th instant. The day after a re-enforcement of four companies of my regiment arrived. I should have replaced the city officials in power had not be feeling among the citizens been that they desired martial law to still remain. I am pleased to be able to report that no ill-felling or difficulty has arisen between the citizens and the men of my command, and that not an instance of any insult or unpleasant feeling has taken place. I have prohibited any person passing the line of my command without taking the oath of allegiance. Fort marion has now mounted two 8-inch sea-coast howitzers, one 32-pounder gun, four iron 6-pounder guns, one brass 6-pounder gun, 24-pounder siege howitzer, and a Wiard rifled gun. Lieutenant Tardy, U. S. Corps Engineers, has arrived at this post and taken charge of putting the fort in a state of defense. Lieutenant Tardy intends to mount two 8-inch columbiads on the fort. With the ordnance stores I have drawn a requisition for I can defend the post against all the enemy now in arms in Florida. I have the honor to request instructions as to slaves belonging to disloyal men. I have retained such slaves, furnishing them with food and compelling them to work, and simply excluding other slaves from the fort. This city is in a most lamentable condition with respect to food. I have been compelled to issue Government provisions to families to prevent them from perishing from hunger. I have the honor to request instructions as to whether such issues will ne permitted. Five deserters from the enemy have come in; no information of any importance has been got from them, except that one of the Saint Augustine companies wished to lay down tour arms and surrender. I have used every effort to inform them that they might return here and remain unmolested.

I take the liberty of suggesting again that the ordnance stores I have drawn a requisition for are very necessary for the defense of my post.

I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,

LOUIS BELL,

Lieutenant Colonel, Commanding Fourth New Hampshire Volunteers, Commanding Post of Saint Augustine.

HDQRS. NORTHERN DISTRICT, DEPT. OF THE SOUTH,
Hilton Head, S. C., April 17, 1862.

Flag-Officer S. F. DUPONT,

U. S. Navy, U. S. S. Wabash, Port Royal Harbor:

SIR: I have the pleasure of saying in reply to your letter of this date that there will be on objection to withdrawing the one gunboat as you propose from Wassaw. But as General Hunter and myself feel that it may be important to keep the enemy on the alert at Savannah, we would be glad if you would spare as many as you can conveniently of those least valuable for your other purposes, which boats might, without exposure to themselves, by constant movements, as of of reconnaissance, if so directed by yourself, keep the enemy either from any approaches toward us here of from diverting his troops to Charleston.

The reconnaissance or the affair you heard of its seems was made by the order of Brigadier-General Gillmore to Wilmington Island by Lieutenant Wilson, Topographical Engineers, Topographical Engineers, escorted by 400 men of Colonel Fenton's Eighth Michigan. They lost 10 or 12 killed and 35 wounded.