to an enfilading fire from the enemy, the magazine was exposed, the commissary stores unprotected, the men could not stand to such gusn as were left to them, and that to have held on would have involved a useless massacre without the means of resistance or the smallest hope of successful resistance. Colonel Anderson did not first propose the surrender. It was done by the officers of the garrison, who all, save one, gave him their reasons for advising it, in writing. In the skirmishing which took place before the investment was complete, Colonel Anderson displayed the greatest allantry and coolness, and won the entire confidence of his officers and men. In reference to the charge that Colonel Anderson disobeyed the orders of his superior officer, General PAGE, the writer states that his only order from PAGE was to "do the best he could." General PAGE makes a different statement in his official dispatch. We append the copy of the minute of proceedings of the officers and their communication to Colonel Anderosn, furnished by "Paul." We have said that these developments put a different face on the capitulation of Fort Gaines, and are far more favorable than we had dared hope. The whole matter will be sifted to the bottom and we need not say that it will afford us both relef and pleasure to find the course of the Confederate officer in command fully justified and sustained by a military tribunal. We repeat that we can afford to lose forts and ships if we do not lose the honor of our arms with them.

FORT GAINES, ALA., August 6, 1864.

At a meeting of the offices composing the garrison of Fort Gaines, hold this day, it was unanimously resolved that the sense of said meeting be communicated, in writing, to Colonel Anderson, commander of the post, and in order to carry out said motion, the following officers were appointed a committee by the president of the meeting: Captain P. Williams, Jr., Lieutenant T. N. Macartney, and Charles C. Biberon, engineer in charge.

Colonel C. D. ANDER-first Regiment Alabama Vols., Commanding Fort Gaines, Ala.:

COLONEL: In pursuance to the above resolution, we, the committee appointed by the meeting held this evening by the officers composing the garrison for the purpose of deliberating upon the condition of the defense of the place, now proceed to express the reasons that have caused the meeting to be held without your knowledge, and the conclusions we have arrived at. Yesterday morning the enemy's fleet, under a terrific fire from the guns of Fort Morgan, succeeded in passing the forts, and have now taken up their posistion in our rear, determining after a brief cannonade, the evacuation of Fort Powell. We are cut off from all communications by land or sea and inside of a fort whose armament cannot in anywise effectually respond to the guns of the fleet. The fort itself is so weak and so ill-protected by its inefficient bombproofs, and the bastionets at the salients now used as powder magazines, that the surrender of the place is no longer a question to us or to any one else. It then becomes out duty to consider whether a defense, entailing the fearful responsibility of heavy loss of life, will be of sufficient usefulness to compensate the sacrifice, and we unhesitatingly say Numbers The position of the fleet is such as to enfilade the parapets, the parade ground, the entire range of camsemates inside, and our ditches outside. Our pickets, whose duty is of a very trying