certainly the want of proper wood and water stations, so manifest upon the Wilmington and Manchester Railroad, can be remedied.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

S. R. GIST,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

[Inclosure.]

Hour of leaving Charleston. Hour of arrival in Wilmington.

Forty-sixth Georgia left at 10 Arrived at 8 a. m. December

p. m. December 14 16.

Twenty-fifth South Carolina Arrived at 9 a. m. December

left at 2 a. m. December 15 16.

Twenty-fourth South Carolina Arrived at 1 p. m. December

left on morning of the 15th 16.

Preston's light battery left Arrived at 10 a. m. December

at 2 a. m. of the 15th. 16.

Waties light battery left at 2 Arrived at 2 p. m. December

a. m. of the 15th 16.

Culpeper's battery left on the Arrived at 3 a. m. December

15th 17.

Sixteenth South Carolina and Arrived at 12 a. m. December

Nelson's battalion on the 15th 17.

Harrison's and Wilson's brigades left Savannah on the evening of thaw 14th; arrived in Charleston on the evening of the 15th; left for Wilmington on the morning of the 16th. Harrison's brigade reached Wilmington at 8 p. m. on the 18th ant Wilsons' brigade arrived on the morning of the 19th.

Respectfully,

MALLORY P. KING,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

CHARLESTON, S. C., January 4, 1863.

W. H. C. WHITING,

Brigadier-General, Wilmington, N. C.:

Do you want Gist alone from here? Railroad too slow to send so far the few troops left here before knowing positively where enemy will strike.

G. T. BEAUREGARD.

CHARLESTON, S. C., January 4, 1863.

W. H. C. WHITING,

Brigadier-General, Wilmington, N. C.:

Gist leaves this evening. Troops sent to you average about ninety hours per thousand men to go and return. We are too weak to run such risk, when enemy might be only making a feint at Wilmington to attack here, as has often been long meditial by him.

When necessary use my cipher with Smith and myself.

G. T. BEAUREGARD.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPT. OF S. C., GA., AND FLA., Numbers 4.
Charleston, January 4, 1863.

I. Brigadier-General Gist will repair to Wilmington, N. C., for temporary service with Brigadier-General Whiting. He will take with him such of his staff as he may need.

* * * * * * * *

By command of General Beauregard:

JNO. M. OTEY,
Assistant Adjutant-General.