A. R. Lawton to Dispatch from Governor Pickens received. Am I at liberty to employ, November 10, 1861
Savannah, November 10, 1861.
General R. E. LEE, Ooosawhatchie, S. O.:
GENERAL: I had the honor to receive yesterday your letter of the 8th instant,* covering extract of Special Orders, No. 206, from headquarters of the Army [A. and I. G. O., November 5, 1861]. i
Permit me to express my extreme gratification at the contents of this extract, which assures me that I am to have the benefit of your military skill and experience in the present emergency ; no one can appreciate , the necessity for such assistance more than I do. I earnestly desire a personal interview with you at the earliest practicable moment, and trust that it may be in your power to visit Savannah, if only to remain here one night and return to Carolina the next morning. The present arrangements of the railway trains will make it very convenient for you to accomplish such a visit. It would afford me great pleasure to call on you at your present headquarters and there confer fally with you, but scarcely feel justified in absenting myself from my command at this
critical juncture, even for the space of twelve hours, unless you attach much importance to it, and cannot visit Savannah. j
The number of troops recently received by me in a comparatively unorganized condition, and the changes now suddenly made in the posting and disposition ef them to meet the movements of the enemy, together with the great pressure at this moment on each department of the staff, will necessarily cause delay in furnishing you with an accurate and forward statement of the troops, guns, ammunition, &c., under my command. In the mean time I have the pleasure to state, for your information, that my command consists of about 5,500 men, mustered into the service of the Confederate States, and distributed along the coast. About 2,000, under command of Brigadier-General Mercer, are stationed at and near Brunswick. The remainder, say 3,500 men, are on this side of the Altamaha River, and all but 500 of this number within 20 miles of Savannah.
Having to-day ordered up all the troops from Tybee Island (about 1,000), I will have about 2,800 men near the city that can move promptly, exclusive of 450 at Fort Pulaski and 200 at Green Island battery, on Vernon River, protecting an important landing about 12 miles in rear of Savannah.
Of the 5,500 troops under my command, about 500 are eavalry and the rest infantry, with the exception of three field batteries (two of these pieces were sent to Hilton, with the re-enforcements to General Drayton, and lost).
The eavalry are very well mounted and armed; the light batteries have a limited supply of horses, and but moderately well drilled. The infantry are made up chiefly of raw troops, though all substantially armed; about 2,000 of them are very well drilled and disciplined.
As all the volunteer corps in and about Savannah have been mustered into service, they are included in the 5,500; but there are about 3,000 men, armed after a fashion, under State organization, now in camp on the line of railway, and can be called to Savannah in a few hours. With the assistance of the naval officers we are now bloeking up the channel in several places, and hope for good results.
very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Brigadier- General, Commanding.
CooSAWHATOHIE, November 10, 1861.
Dispatch from Governor Pickens received. Am I at liberty to employ
troops in South Oarolina and Georgia passing through the States to
Virginia?