Without entirely believing those rumors, General Beauregard used every endeavor to put himself in a state of readiness. He advised Governor Pickens, if it were the intention of the people and State to defend the city to the last extremity-as he was disposed to do to prepare, out of its limits, a place of refuge for non-combatants. He ordered his chief-engineer to obstruct and defend the mouths of the Cooper and Ashley rivers. That officer was also instructed closely to examine both banks of the Stono, from Church Flats to the Wappoo Cut, and place there such obstructions as might impede the progress of the enemy, and prevent him from turning our works in that vicinity.

But the enemy, not being sufficiently prepared to make his projected attack on Charleston or Savannah, determined to strike a blow farther south, on the St. John's River, in the Department of Florida, commanded by Brigadier-General Joseph Finegan. General Finegan had only a small force under him, and, when he realized the extent of his danger, immediately telegraphed the War Department for reinforcements. The Secretary of War ordered General Beauregard to send two regiments of infantry to his assistance. They were to be withdrawn from Georgia, General Mercer's command. Although fears were still entertained of an offensive movement against South Carolina and Georgia, General Beauregard, whose forces were also very limited, complied promptly with the order, but took occasion to call the attention of the War Department to his numerical weakness, and to the fact that the enemy's lodgment in Florida, even if really intended-which was doubtful-would be of less gravity than an assault, at this juncture, upon either Charleston or Savannah. General Beauregard was accordingly authorized to recall his regiments, which he did without delay. They would have arrived too late to be of any assistance to General Finegan, as, upon that officer reaching St. John's Bluff, on the 3d, he found it already abandoned, though, in his opinion, there was a sufficient force to hold it, had Lieutenant-Colonel C. F. Hopkins, commanding the post, shown more spirit and determination.* Six days later General Finegan informed the War Department that the enemy had embarked on their transports and gunboats, and were moving down the river.

* A court of inquiry, held October 11, at Colonel Hopkins's demand, exoncrated him, however, from all blame in regard to this matter.

Being much concerned about the security and efficiency of the boom which was being built in the Charleston Harbor,* General Beauregard ordered his chief-engineer to alter its construction so as to increase its floating capacity, and reduce the resistance it offered to the strong flood and ebb tides. He also instructed him to protect the pile foundations of Fort Ripley, which were exposed to view at low-water.

At that time he forwarded to the Adjutant-General's office at Richmond the official report of his inspection of the Department. It is entirely similar to the notes of inspection inserted by us in the Appendix to this chapter, and need not, therefore, be transcribed here. It had been somewhat hurriedly made, however, and did not include all the defensive points of the Department, nor was General Beauregard's criticism of the works visited so comprehensive then as at a later period, when based upon more thorough knowledge. The many and great alterations effected by him show how defective most of the works were, and how wellfounded were the concluding remarks of his report to General Cooper: "Adaptation of means to an end' has not always been consulted in the works around this city and Savannah. Much unnecessary work has been bestowed upon many of them."

The Third Military District of South Carolina, with headquar ters at McPhersonville, under Colonel (afterwards General) W. S. Walker, was not then in a very promising condition. Reports, considered trustworthy, indicated the enemy's early intention of taking the offensive in that quarter. The lines of defence and the detached works constructed in that district were calculated for the occupation of fully ten thousand men-the number assembled there during the preceding winter, with a proportionate artillery force. General Beauregard had had nothing to do in the establishment of these lines, nor had he either planned or recommended the erection of the works spoken of. The abandonment by the Government of the plan of defending the coast with heavy artillery, and the consequent reduction of the force thus employed to a corps of observation, chiefly of cavalry, rendered the greater part of these works useless. Colonel Walker was alive to the danger of such a state of affairs, and had addressed a communica

* A full description of it is given in General Beauregard's "Notes of Inspection," to be found in Appendix to this chapter.

tion to General Beauregard asking that reinforcements should be sent him to remedy the evil, and, as far as possible, secure that region of country.*

General Beauregard's answer was as follows:

"HEADQUARTERS, DEPT. S. C. AND GA.,

CHARLESTON, S. C., Oct. 8th, 1862.

"Col. W. S. WALKER, Comdg. Third Mil. Dist., McPhersonville, S. C.: "Colonel,-Your letter of 3d instant, with its enclosures, has been received. Your instructions to the Commanding Officer at Hardeeville and to your pickets are approved of; none more in detail can be furnished you from here. Our means are so limited at present, that it is impossible to guard effectually the whole country and line of railroad, from here to Savannah, against a determined attack of the enemy; but we must endeavor to make up in zcal and activity what we lack in numbers. I shall, however, send you a light battery of artillery, to be posted by you wherever most advantageous. Being still unacquainted with the district of country under your command, I must rely greatly, in this and other corresponding matters, on your judgment and thorough knowledge of its topography. ***

"Respectfully, your obdt. servt.,

"G. T. BEAUREGARD, Genl. Comdg."

The forthcoming chapter will show what occurred in Colonel Walker's district a fortnight after this letter was written. In the mean time it is proper here to remark that on General Beauregard's arrival in Charleston he found no regular system by which news of the movements of the enemy along the coast of South Carolina and Georgia could be ascertained with any degree of certainty, and he determined to correct so great a deficiency in the service, rendered all the more necessary by the fact that his Department, as will soon be seen, had just been enlarged.

The system inaugurated may be thus explained: He established signal (flag) stations at the most important points along the coast of South Carolina (from Georgetown), Georgia, and Florida, where the enemy's ships or fleets could be observed. An exact register was kept in his office of all Federal vessels plying along the coast and their precise whereabouts. Whenever any change took place among them it was reported at once to Department Headquarters, and a minute account kept of it. And when an accumulation of the enemy's ships occurred at any point, indicating an attack, the small reserves General Beauregard had at Charleston or Savannah

See Colonel Walker's letter, in Appendix to this chapter.

were prepared to move by rail in that direction, with the usual amount of provisions and ammunition, one or more trains being always held in readiness to receive the detachment. Thus was inferiority of number, to a certain extent, remedied by unremit ting vigilance. The flag-stations above described communicated with the nearest railroad stations by sub-flag-stations, or by couriers, as circumstances required. The result was that clear and trustworthy information of the enemy's ships, or of his landforces, was given to General Beauregard, once in every twentyfour hours, from all the various quarters of his extensive Department. It is satisfactory to state that, during the twenty months he remained in command there, he was never, on any occasion, taken by surprise. His reinforcements always arrived at the threatened point as soon as our limited means of transportation would permit.

CHAPTER XXVII.

Extension of General Beauregard's Command.-Grave Errors in the Construction of the Fortifications around Charleston.-Alterations Ordered by General Beauregard.-His Desire for Additional Torpedo-rams.-He foresees the Federal Movement in Colonel Walker's District.-Sends Captain F. D. Lee to Richmond.-Prepares himself for the Enemy's Attack.Bank of Louisiana.-Effort to Save its Funds.-Secretary of War Orders their Seizure.-Instructions to General Ripley.-Memoranda on the Defences of Savannah.-Minute Instructions to General Mercer.-Suggestion for a Conference of Southern Governors.-Captain Lee's Report of his Visit to Richmond.-Attack of the Federals on Pocotaligo.-Colonel Walker Repulses them with Loss.-Federal Force Engaged in the Affair. -General Beauregard Recommends Colonel Walker for Promotion.— Estimate called for, and given, of Men and Material Needed for a Successful Defence of Charleston and its Harbor.

FROM Richmond, on the 7th of October, the following telegram was sent to General Beauregard :

"Your command this day extended, in order to embrace South Carolina, Georgia, and that part of Florida east of the Appalachicola River. The camps of instruction for conscripts, in the several States, are under special control of the Secretary of War.

"S. COOPER, A. & I. G."

This was not welcome news, for if it implied increase of territorial authority, it indicated no prospect of corresponding numerical strength in the Department. General Beauregard answered in these terms:

"HEADQUARTERS, DEPT. S. C. AND Ga., CHARLESTON, S. C., Oct. 8th, 1862.

“General SAMUEL COOPER, Adjt. and Insp.-Genl., Richmond, Va. :

“General,—I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt, this day, of your telegram of the 7th instant, communicating information of the extension of the limits of this Department to include all of the State of Georgia, and so much of Florida as is situated east of the Appalachicola River. I beg to say that I trust this extension of the territory of the Department will be followed, at an early day, by a commensurate increase of the forces to guard it. It is proper for me to say, that the more urgent importance of the defence of the ports of Charleston and Savannah must necessarily occupy so much of my