Doc. 111.
General Hunter's orders.
II. For the convenience of military operations, and the administration of department affairs, this department is divided into three districts, to be constituted as follows:
1. The first, to be called the Northern District, will comprise the States of South-Carolina, Georgia, and all that part of Florida north and east of a line extending from Cape Canaveral north-west to the Gulf coast, just north of Cedar Keys and its dependencies, and thence north to the Georgia line. The headquarters of this district will be at Port Royal, South-Carolina, and Brigadier-Gen. H. W. Benham (who will relieve Brigadier-General Sherman) is appointed to command this district, and the troops therein, which troops will constitute a division, to be called the First division of the Department of the South. General Benham will receive from General Sherman all charts, maps, plans, reports, moneys, etc., with all official records, returns, etc., appertaining to the expeditionary command in this district.
2. The second, to be called the Southern District, will comprise all of Florida and the islands adjacent, south of the said line from Cape Canaveral, extending north-west to the Gulf coast, just north of Cedar Keys. The headquarters of this district and the troops will remain as at present, under the command of Brigadier-General J. M. Brannan.
3. The third, to be called the Western District, will comprise that part of Florida west of the line before described as running north from Cedar Keys to the Georgia line. The headquarters of this district will remain at Fort Pickens, as at present, with Brigadier-General L. G. Arnold, commanding.
III. The usual reports, returns, etc., will hereafter be made to the generals commanding districts, and every senior officer of every separate command within the district named, whether brigade, regimental, or post, will immediately forward to district headquarters detailed reports showing the actual condition of their commands, the number of officers and men for duty, the number sick, quantity and quality of supplies, including arms, ammunition, clothing, tents, camp equipage, horses and horse equipments, mules, and transportation, quartermaster and commissary stores; and will also state what supplies of all kinds will be necessary to perfect their organization, and place them in a condition of full efficiency for active service. Returns of the effective forces present will in all cases be rendered as soon they can be prepared, without being delayed for the completion of the other reports called for in this paragraph.
These reports, when received by district commanders, will be consolidated and transmitted to the General commanding the department, for his information and action.
IV. The staff of the Major-General commanding the department will consist of the following named officers:
Major Charles G. Halpine, Assistant Adjutant-General; Lieutenant E. W. Smith, Acting Assistant Adjutant-General; Colonel J. W. Shaffer, Chief Quartermaster; Captain J. W. Turner, Chief Commissary of Subsistence.
Major R. M. Hough, Major Edward Wright, Captain D. W. Thompson, Captain W. R. Dole, Lieutenant S. W. Stockton, Lieutenant Chas. E. Hay, Lieutenant A. M. Kenzie, Lieutenant A. O. Doolittle, Aids-de-Camp.
(Official copy.)
[354]
In relieving Brigadier-General T. W. Sherman, from duty in this department, pursuant to orders of the War Department, dated “A. G. O., Washington, March fifteen, 1862,” the Major-General commanding desires to express to Brigadier-General Sherman his full appreciation of the amount and importance of the services rendered by the expedition under General Sherman's command; and his thanks for the full, reliable and valuable information as to the condition of the troops, defences, etc., in this portion of the Department of the South, which General Sherman has furnished.
By command of
The following-named officers are hereby announced as additional members of the staff of the Major-General commanding Department of the South, and will report accordingly:
Surgeon George E. Cooper, (Medical Department, United States Army,) Medical Director.
Captain Louis H. Pelouze, (Fifteenth infantry, United States Army,) Acting Inspector-General.
First Lieutenant Francis J. Shunk, (Ordnance Department, United States Army,) Chief of Ordnance.
First Lieutenant James H. Wilson, (United States Topographical Engineers,) Chief Topographical Engineer.
First Lieutenant E. J. Keenan, (Eleventh Pennsylvania Volunteers,) Chief Signal Officer.
By command of
