HDQRS. DEPT. SOUTH CAROLINA, GEORGIA, AND FLORIDA,
Charleston, S. C., March 8, 1863.

Captain W. H. ECHOLS,

Endanger Officer:

The general commanding desires me to inform you that the torpedoes for the Combahee and Ashepoo Rivers ought to be place as soon as practicable. He desires to be informed also if the new battery at Haig's, on the Stono, has been armed. Verbal instructions were given on the subject to Major Harris and General Ripley. You will please inquire of the latter what has been done in the matter should you not have in your possession the desired information.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. R. CHISOLM,

Aide-de-Camp.

CHARLESTON, S. C., March 8, 1863.

Brigadier General H. W. MERCER,

Savannah, Ga.:

Return General Clingman's brigade to report to General Ripley as before going to Savannah.

G. T. BEAUREGARD.

HDQRS. DEPT. SOUTH CAROLINA, GEORGIA, AND FLORIDA,
Charleston, S. C., March 9, 1863.

Brigadier General S. G. GIST,

Commanding Confederate States Forces James Island:

GENERAL: Your communication of the 15th ultimo has been submitted to the commanding general since his return from Savannah, and I am instructed to communicate his remarks upon the same, as follows:

The general commanding leaves to the generals commanding each district the control and disposition of the troops stationed within their jurisdiction, holding them responsible for the same. Should the disposition be faulty, the general commanding then exerts his power of correcting the error.

When General Ripley arrived here General Gist was ordered to report to him for duty. On General Gist's return from North Carolina he was again (verbally) ordered to report to General Ripley for the same duty or otherwise, as the latter might direct.

The sub-divisions contained in Orders, Numbers 6, meet with the approval of the general commanding.

I have the honor to be, general, very respectfully, you obedient servant,

CLIFTON H. SMITH,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,

Columbia, March 9, 1863.

General G. T. BEAUREGARD,

Commanding, &c.:

DEAR SIR: General Garlington is sick in bed. Not seeing him until late last night and other circumstances have prevented my writing you sooner.

When I ordered the troops formerly composing the First, Fourth, and Tenth Reserves, now under a new organization, to repair to the coast it was to supply to some extent what was wanted of the Reserves, viz, to hold the ground till the arrival of disciplined troops. As the time approached