or appointment in the military service of incompetent or unworthy officers. The regulations will also provide for rie of such incompetent persons as now hold commissions in it.

By order of the President:

EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

By order of the Secretary of War:

E. D. TOWNSEND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH, Hilton Head, Port Royal, S. C., August 4, 1862.

Honorable EDWIN M. STANTON,
Secretary of War, Washington, D. C.:

SIR: I have the honor to request that I may receive authority to issue commissions, which will be confirmed by the President of the United States, to the men now serving as officers in the First South Carolina Regiment of Volunteers. Also that arrangements be made for paying the regiment, either by an order from the President to the Paymaster-General, or that I be authorized to order the chief quartermaster of department to pay the, or the paymaster. not satisfied that I shall be furnished with the means of making compensation to these loyal men for their services, and for the reason also that their officers hold an anomalous position as men without commissions discharging the duties of commissioned officers, I desire earnestly to have a speedy and favorable decision upon the organization of the regiment.

Pending such action on the part of the authorities as will enable me to proceed with vigor in collecting additional regiments of these troops, I have stopped in a great measure all formal recruiting, but have kept from which they can be rapidly absorbed into regimental organization on receipt of the due authority.

I make no doubt whatever that half a dozen colored regiments can be placed in the field within two months after my plan shall have received official countenance; and once the regiments are reorganized and regularly paid as soldiers, it will require but a few additional posts to be established along the shores of the mainland, at Georgetown, Brunswick, and elsewhere, to bring many thousand of these loyal persons flocking around the standard of the Union.

Respectfully but earnestly begging you attention to this matter, which seems to me of vital importance, I have the honor to be, sir,

Very respectfully, your most obedient servant,

D. HUNTER,

Major-General.

INDIANAPOLIS, IND., August 4, 1862-5 p. m. (Received 9.30 p. m.)

Major-General HALLECK:

I shall have five regiments ready next Saturday, but they have no arms.

O. P. MORTON,

Governor.