SPECIAL ORDERS,
ADJT. AND INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE, Numbers 52.
Richmond, Va., March 3, 1863.

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XXIII. Brigadier General W. H. T. Walker, Provisional Army of the Confederate States, will report to General G. T. Beauregard, commanding, &c., at Charleston, S. C., for assignment to duty.

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By command of the Secretary of War:

JNO. WITHERS,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. DEPT. SOUTH CAROLINA, GEORGIA, AND FLORIDA,

Charleston, S. C., March 4, 1863.

Commodore T. TURNER,

Commanding U. S. Naval Forces, &c., off Charleston:

SIR: In further reply to your letter of the 21st, received on the 27th ultimo, I have now to say, after due investigation of the subject-matter, that the facts of the case appear to be as follows:

On the morning of the 21st February, 1863, the U. S. S. Flambeeau appeared under a flag of truce, distinctly visible, making her way in the direction of the harbor, as if wishing to communicate. Being near enough for the purpose of communication, the commander of a battery on Sullivan's Island fired a shot as a notification to the vessel to came to, which not being complied with he fired three other shots, not at the vessel, but to stop her course, and to make her desist from he sounding which were being made at the time by a boat detached from the Flambeau, a proceeding deemed altogether irregular and unwarranted.

This report of the battery commander is further corroborated by the statements of persons at other points of view.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

G. T. BEAUREGARD,

General, Commanding.

Abstract from Return of troops in Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, commanded by General G. T. Beauregard, March 4, 1863.

Commanding officer. Troops.

Brigadier General R. First Military District of South

S. Ripley. Carolina.

Brigadier General J. Second Military District of South

Hagood. Carolina.

Brigadier General W. Third Military District of South

S. Walker. Carolina.

Brigadier General J. Fourth Military District of South

H. Trapier. Carolina.

Brigadier General H. District of Georgia.

W. Mercer.

Brigadier General District of Middle Florida.

Howell Cobb.

Brigadier General District of East Florida.

Joseph Finegan.

Grand total. ..........

Present for duty.

Commanding officer. Total Total Total Aggreg Aggreg

effec- effec effec- ate ate

tive tive tive pre- pre-

infan- caval arti- sent. sent

try. ry. llery. and

absent

.

Brigadier General 6,376 605 2,456 10,708 13,273

R. S. Ripley.

Brigadier General 1,327 740 182 2,518 3,019

J. Hagood.

Brigadier General 3,363 1,436 484 6,004 7,863

W. S. Walker.

Brigadier General ... 336 142 561 735

J. H. Trapier.

Brigadier General 5,587 1,774 2,728 11,537 13,349

H. W. Mercer.

Brigadier General 359 239 110 807 1,026

Howell Cobb.

Brigadier General 222 441 140 916 1,249

Joseph Finegan.

Grand total. 17,234 5,571 6,242 33,051 40,514

NOTE.-Heavy artillery included with light artillery in the First District of South Carolina and the District of Georgia.