CHARLESTON, S. C., December 15, 1862.

General S. COOPER, Richmond, Va.:

I am sending 5,000 infantry and three batteries to Wilmington, to be returned as soon as practicable. All quiet here.

G. T. BEAUREGARD/

WILMINGTON, N. C. December 15, 1862.

General BEAUREGARD:

The following dispatch was received from General Smith:

I arrived here about 3 p. m. Evans is about 6 miles this side of Kinston, at Falling Creek. He estimates the enemy at 30,000. It is stated scouts that the enemy are constantly receiving re-enforcements. Have you anything more definite about Bank's fleet and force? Can you come up in the morning without inconvenience?

W. H. C. WHITING.

CHARLESTON, S. C., December 15, 1862.

Brigadier General H. W. MERCER, Savannah, Ga.:

Your troops have just reached here (9 o'clock p. m.); delayed because overcrowded beyond possible capacity of cars and engines. Who is to blame? Troops have been left on the way to enable trains to move at all.

G. T. BEAUREGARD.

HEADQUARTERS,
Wilmingtoon, December 15, 1862.

General P. G. T. BEAUREGARD,

Commanding Department of South Carolina, Charleston:

MY DEAR GENERAL: I am much oblige to you for the promptness with which you have placed some troops at my disposal in the event of attack here. They will be greatly needed, as you may see from the extracts from letters to this department, herewith inclosed for your information,* selected a lengthy correspondence as to the situation and defense of Wilmington.+

It is a most difficult problem, especially with my means. The land attack is my bugbear, and is the most dangerous for us.

Of course a naval demonstration will be made, but you know I have always insisted that we could whip them on the water if the men will stand manfully to their guns. Much information collected from spies and prisoners leads me to believe that Forster and Bank will make the land attack. Prisoners taken yesterday near Kinston say that Foster's present attack in that quarter is the preliminary to an advance on this place. If this be true, he has made a strategic blunder.

You will perceive that I have estimated 10,000 infantry, six batteries, and a regiment of cavalry as the least force I could say this place would be at all safe with.

Familiar with all the localities, I urged this on the President when

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* Not found.

+ See Whiting to Randolph, November 14, and Whiting to Smith, November 18, in Series I, Vol. XVIII.

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