what they have personally known in their experience of his character and conduct; among whom may be mentioned Commodore Joseph Smith, of the Bureau of Yards and Docks; Brigadier-General Totten, Professor Bache, and Brigadier-General [Thomas A.] Morris. Brigadier-General Totten, after alluding to the various positions in which he had known him, says:

In all these situation he has performed his duty to my entire satisfaction, always exhibiting the stricter care of the public interest; excellent in judgment, great intelligence, persevering industry, and a staring zeal that never allows itself to be tied down within the limits of any special trust.

Professor Bache hold this language in regard to him:

I would respectfully commend him in the highest terms as a man excellent judgment, of great kindness, and yet firm in his dealings with his subordinates and discreet in his management of officers and men, and with a faithfulness, energy, and industry in the discharge of his duty which cannot be exceeded. The loyalty of character and devotion which he whose acto the service in which he is engaged cannot be surpassed.

Brigadier-General Morris, under date of 18th of July, 1861, alluding to his campaign in Western Virginia, writes:

Captain Benham has been on service with my column ever since we have been in Virginia, and if have done anything that merits the approval of our friends, we owe to Captain Benham and enduring gratitude for the valuable aid and counsels afforded us. I have on all occasions given the command of the attacking column to the captain, and his great energy, his superior skill, and indomitable courage have bee fully appreciated by our men, and have, on every occasion, led us to victory.

Surely, in the presence of such testimonials as these, General Benham should not be condemned as incapable or unfaithful, precipitately or without a hearing. His restoration is respectfully recommended.

J. HOLT,

Judge-Advocate-General.

[Indorsement Numbers 1.]

HILTON HEAD, S. C., May 17, 1862.

Major-General HUNTER,

Commanding Department of the South:

SIR: In compliance with your direction, I have the honor to submit to you in writing the substance of the plan I had proposed to you for the attack upon Charleston and the forts in that harbor, which I had arranged and submitted verbally to yourself and to Flag-Officer DuPont about the 1st instant, the morning after we obtained the information from the negro deserters from the boat's crew of General Ripley, as also such modifications of this plan as seem expedient from the more recent information of other deserters.

Of the eighteen regiments of infantry and the three regiments of engineers, artillery, and cavalry, and two batteries of fourteen pieces of field artillery, I found about 15,000 men effective. Of these, I proposed to leave the 1,800 men now at Fernandina and Saint Augustine, Fla., at those posts, and to retain about 3,000 men in this vicinity, say from Tybee to Port Royal Islands, distributed as follows; Say one regiment and one company of artillery at Pulaski, with an infantry picket of one company of infantry, and probably one of cavalry, at Dawfukie Island; one regiment of infantry and four pieces of artillery and two companies of cavalry at Beaufort and Port Royal Island, which might, in any great pressure of force, be abandoned