SPECIAL ORDERS, HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF S. C. AND GA., No. 59. Charleston, May 26, 1862.

I. Brigadier General H. W. Mercer, Provisional Army of the Confederate States, will relieve Brigadier General R. S. Ripley in the command of the Second Military District of South Carolina.

II. General Mercer will immediately place himself in communication with General Ripley, and obtain from that officer all necessary information in relation to the present disposition of troops and the location of works for the defense of this harbor and city, whether already completed or in progress. General Ripley is desired to impart as far as practicable or in progress. General Ripley is desired to impart as far as practicable to General Mercer his own views as to the plan most likely to effect the speedy completion of the defenses, and generally his intimate knowledge of the resources available in any way for the defense of the city.

* * * * *

By order of Major-General Pemberton:

J. R. WADDY,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

MARS BLUFF, May 27, 1862.

Major General J. C. PEMBERTON, C. S. A., Charleston, S. C.:

DEAR SIR: I was much gratified and thankful that you so promptly sent a force to the Pee Dee, which was threatened by the enemy's boats. Four companies of Colonel Graham's regiment arrived at the obstructions at Stone's Landing last night, and I left there this morning with the confidence that the approach of any boats beyond that point was cut off unless they landed far below and marched in large force, which was not probable now. The works there are a complete success, and any forces which could be brought by the small boats able to get up the river could be repulsed and I think captured, with their boats, before getting off. On my return I met Colonel Graham, who showed me your dispatch ordering the return of his regiment, at which I was surprised. The four companies will answer our purpose there and save the railroad bridge, when five regiments could not do it at the bridge on account of its locality and the facility of shelling our forces from the river.

At the point selected for obstructions the bluff on the west bank is about 40 feet high, almost perpendicular, and the river not over 100 yards wide. On the eastern bank for miles the swamp is low, marshy, and impenetrable. At the point of obstruction the river makes a turn at right angle, and only 200 yards below it curves again and sweeps around for some miles, so that it would be impossible to harm the men on the bluffs by shells from the boats or even to land with any sort of resistance. The obstructions are rafts of heavy timber, 3-ply, and upstrapped with iron and securely bolted, but easily opened, so as to admit of the passage of our boats. These are in 150 yards of two cannon [18 and 12 pounders], planted securely in batteries dug down, and leaving the solid earth 50 feet in front. To attempt to cut or destroy the rafts, which have been fully secured and closed, will expose the men there to certain destruction from our large guns and small-arms. The only means of passing is to land below and turn the batteries, and with the force there now this I am satisfied cannot be done from the size of