CHARLESTON, May 26, 1863.

Major W. H. ECHOLS,

Chief Engineer, South Carolina:

MAJOR: In reply to so much of Brigadier General R. S. Ripley's communication, dated 24th instant, to Brigadier General Thomas Jordan, relative to the battery erecting on the marsh of Vincent's Creek I have the honor to report that the work complained of is necessarily slow and tedious from the following causes, viz: During the first five weeks after I commenced the works the health of the hands employed was so bad (they being from the upper districts and not accustomed to working in mud and water and the change of climate and diet) that the working force did not average daily more than 20 out of 100 hands then under my charge. The negroes can only work from half ebb tide to half of the next flood tide, making an average of about seven hours' work each day. The tide overflows the marsh during the rest of the time, making it impossible to proceed. The material piled up and complained of as not efficient for an other around short of Morris Island, and though intended to be used for the battery with some modification, was not especially collected for that purpose, it being simply the natural soil thrown up in the necessary process of digging the bed to float in the hulk intended to be sued as a foundation of the battery erecting. I would also state that in consequence of the limited supply of negro labor furnished by the State I have only 62 hands at work on the battery, which for the speedy completion of the work is altogether insufficient.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. FRASHER MATHEWES,

In Charge.

SAVANNAH, GA. May 29, 1863.

Brigadier General THOMAS JORDAN,

Chief of Staff, Charleston, S. C.:

DEAR GENERAL: I send you herewith two slips of newspaper referring to "passports", one alluding to the charge of 25 cents for passes to persons going out of Charleston and the other recommending that a system of passports be established at Nassau for all persons coming in to the Confederacy. I suppose the first refers to a city charge; if so, it would be well for the Mercury and Coureir to say so; otherwise the public might misunderstand the position of the military authorities in the matter. With regard to the Nassaru passports, I highly approve of the suggestion, and wish you would write accordingly to Major Heyliger, inclosing him that slip of newspaper referring to the subject. It would be well also to publish an order to the same effect in the city papers. It has been raining here for several days, preventing me from completing my tour of inspection; hence I will leave for Tallahassee to-morrow morning, expecting to be back in a few days. I hope to be again in Charleston about the 5th proximo. Keep everything ready for "a change of base" at a moment's notice. I do not like the appearance of things in Mississippi. I send you another newspaper slip, showing I had divined Grant's plan of operations, i. e., to march on the Yazoo to reopen his communications with the Mississippi River, and I fear he has succeeded; he has out generales Pemberton. I believe Johnson unfortunately got there too late, as I had also predicted would