a fleet of steamers from passing the works defending the entrance of this harbor, it becomes as urgent as it is indispensable to increase the heavy armament of the works intended to command the anchorage in the harbor and the entrances into the Ashley and Cooper Rivers to the utmost possible extent; hence I have the honor to request that I may be furnished as soon as practicable, in addition to calls for ordnance already made on the Department, with twenty 10-inch columbiads, five banded rifled 42-pounders, and five banded rifled 32-pounders, or fifteen of the first quality, ten of the second, and five or more of the third. A greater number of each quality could be advantageously located if they could be obtained.

I shall submit within a day or two, for the information of the War Department, a detailed report showing the exact defensive condition of this harbor at present and the extreme necessity of the additional heavy ordnance now called for.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

G. T. BEAUREGARD,

General, Commanding.

Abstract from Monthly Return of the forces of the Department of South Carolina and Georgia, commanded by General G. T. Beauregard, for September, 1862.

P r e s e n t f o r d u t y.

Infantry. Cavalry. Artillery.

Command. Offi Men Off Men Off Men

cers ice ice

rs rs

Military District of 226 3,226 78 1,308 51 884

Georgia

First Military 328 5,240 19 414 52 683

District of South

Carolina

Second Military 57 838 5 132 6 156

District of South

Carolina

Third Military 33 516 62 990 7 125

District of South

Carolina

Grand total 644 9,820 164 2,844 116 1,848

Command. Aggregate Aggregate

present present and

absent

Military District of Georgia 8,371 10,828

First Military District of South 8,827 11,383

Carolina

Second Military District of 1,535 1,998

South Carolina

Third Military District of South 2,182 2,884

Carolina

Grand total 20,915 27,093

Abstract from Monthly Return of the District of East and Middle Florida, Brigadier General Joseph Finegan, commanding, for September, 1862.

Present for

duty.

Command Off Men Aggreg Aggreg

ice ate ate

rs presen presen

t t and

absent

First Special Battalion Florida 18 269 383 587

Infantry

Three independent companies of 10 170 212 261

infantry

Three companies of Partisan 15 293 422 509

Rangers

Ten companies of cavalry* 20 422 544 681

Two batteries of artillery 4 151 165 330

Total 67 1,305 1,726 2,368

*No reports from Harrison's, Rou's, and Dickinson's companies.

HDQRS. DEPT. OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND GEORGIA,
Charleston, S. C., October 1, 1862.

Captain W. H. ECHOLS,

Chief Engineer:

I am instructed to furnish you with the following extract from a communication