WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington, October 29, 1862.

TO THE GOVERNORS OF MASSACHUSETTS, NEW YORK, OHIO, AND PENNSYLVANIA:

You are hereby authorized and directed by the Secretary of War to assign, from the militia drafted in your State, so many men for each organized regiment in the field as may be required to fill up each regiment to its maximum number. The residue of the drafted men, after the old regiments in the field are filled, will be organized into companies and regiments, and you will appoint company and regimental officers, as in the case of volunteers. Lists of the regiments, their stations, and number of men required to fill to maximum will be furnished from this office.

L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General.

BEAUFORT, S. C., October 29, 1862.

Honorable EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

SIR: I have the honor to report that I am organizing the First South Carolina Volunteers as rapidly as possible. I think you will be disappointed with regard to the number of recruits I shall be able to obtain. I labor under many disadvantages in this matter. In the first place, the sphere of our operations is very limited. The Quartermaster's Department has a large number of able-bodied men in its employ; also the Engineer Department. All the officers" servants are negroes, and numbers of others drive a flourishing business as fisher-men, workmen on steam-boats and for private traders. Large number are also employed in the Navy Department as sailors, servants, pilots, &c. I belied it is your intention that all these demand should be supplied before enlisting into the U. S. service. When the colored regiment was first organized by General Hunter no provision was made for its payment, and the men were discharged after several months" service, receiving nothing for it. In the meantime their families suffered. Those who did not enlist in the First Regiment were receiving wages all this time. Accustomed as these people are to having their rights disregarded, this failure to pay them for their service has weakened their confidence in our promises for the future and makes them slow to enlist. If I could b authorized to give them a small bounty as an evidence that they were really to be paid for their services, they would all readily enlist. Until the arrival of re-enforcements shall enable General Mitchel to extend his lines to Charleston, I shall hardly be able to fill more than one regiment. I find less opposition to this movement than I expected. The majority in this department are satisfied of its wisdom and propriety. I have a great many applications from all grades of officers and soldiers serving here for positions in this regiment. I have no doubt but they will make good soldiers. I regret to inform you that General Mitchel with two members of his staff are very ill with malarious fever, and one member of his staff, Captain Williams, has already died of the same disease.

I am, with great respect, your obedient servant,

R. SAXTON,

Brigadier-General of Volunteers.