suited to their armament. All such as may be found will be immediately returned to the ordnance depot, stating their number and caliber.

By command of General Beauregard:

THOMAS JORDAN,

Chief of Staff and Assistant Adjutant General.

HDQRS. DEPT. OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND GEORGIA,
Charleston, S. C., October 17, 1862.

Honorable CHARLES MACBETH,

Mayor of Charleston, S. C.:

DEAR SIR: I have just received the following telegram from the Honorable Secretary of War, which I think advisable to communicate to you:

A gentleman who brings good credentials has just arrived from Baltimore; he reports that a Cabinet meeting was held in Washington on the 7th instant, at which it was ordered that Commodore DuPont should attack Charleston within the ensuing two weeks. I give you the statement for what it is worth.

This may be a mere rumor, but it may be prudent to prepare for the event in case the news should prove to be true.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

G. T. BEAUREGARD,

General, Commanding.

(Copies sent to Brigadier General R. S. Ripley, commanding First District, and Commodore D. N. Ingraham, commanding naval station, Charleston.)

CHARLESTON, S. C., October 17, 1862.

Honorable GEORGE W. RANDOLPH,

Secretary of War, Richmond, Va.:

We will endeavor to give Commodore DuPont as warm a reception as circumstances will permit. Cannot Captain Harris, of Engineers, be hurried on here? Much has still to be done.

G. T. BEAUREGARD.

CHARLESTON, S. C., October 17, 1862.

General S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector-General, Richmond, Va.:

Colonel Myers, Quartermaster-General, has ordered all blankets at Charleston and Savannah to be sent to Richmond. This strip this department of blankets for conscripts to come in under the new law. I ask authority to keep at least one-fourth supply on hand.

G. T. BEAUREGARD.

HDQRS. DEPT. OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND GEORGIA,
Charleston, S. C., October 17, 1862.

Dr. CHEVES,

In Charge of Harbor Obstructions, Charleston, S. C.:

DEAR SIR: Information having reached me that the enemy might