Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-12-20
Feasrn. Rcporls fren. Reauforl.

The New York TTjbHRe'S correspondence from
Beaufort is to December Sd, and what has been
done since Dupont gave over the work to Sher-
man and his land force is summed up as fol-
lows:
Reconnaissance of all the islands this side of
pgf Royal harbOr, and Of the main land from
savannah river up to BEAUFORT have been care
fnliv made. The damages TO the captured forts
have been repaired, and both put in perfect con-
dition for defense against any possible attack.
Hilton Head Island, about twelve miles by
seven. is wholly in military occupation, strong
pickets occupying al important points, and
Braddock's Point, at lis extreme end, where
ours were pointed TO prevent TIE landing Of our
froops. is permanen ~ held. lntrencbmenls
strengthen the positions and encampments Of
the whole of cur force, not completed, but
already extensive. Immense quantities OF stores
of every description have been landed from the
transports, in tie most difficult circumstances,
within adequate means and only by incredible
1s6or. Not less than fifteen hundred soldiers
have been working day and night, much Of the
time IN the water, and without any but the
simplest help for lifting and Transporting heavy
weights. Everything has been brought on shore
IN small boats, the beach shelving gradually,
and. until the wharf is finished, no launches or
lighters being able to approach within a con-
siderable distance.
The wharf is well advanced in construction,
built of huge pine logs, cut three to four miles
away, partly dragged and partly hoated downad
the beach. A great quantity Of lumber fCr Other
purposes has been got in the same way. That
of which the storehouses were built, was brought
IN the transports. Of the stOrehoUses, two are
go bv 30 feet each. two others each l25 feet by
the a width. The stable is 600 feet long anC
- feet wide, and about as much more is to bS
added. The heavy labor imposed upon tn,
soldiers by the refusal Of the WarsDepartment e
furnish lab0rers, and the large force required fU
The pickets, has interfered TO some extent witt
drill and the regular routine of camp life, yet
treat deal has been done tOimprove the soidierly
condition Of the division. Five TO eight hours
day I am assured has been regularly devoted t.
drlI. battalion and brigade movements, and othe
instruction Tor the exigencies Of special service
The picket duty may be divided into two classe
the inlying, that which is Immediately abOu
the brgades the outlying, much h~eavleRan'
harder, all over the island, holding roads an,
ferries and other important points.
Add to this summary the expeditions in al
directions. naval and military, tie occupation c
Tybee Islanfat Savannah and the possession
St. Helena Sound 10 the north, twenty-five mile
nearer Charleston than this hsTboT, both havin
fortifcations which have been abandoned by th
rebels, and ] believe some general notion ma
be formed Of the work accomplished up to til
present date.
The condition Of the troops here, their healt
am spirits, ] cannot say much about. The sic
lists save been largely increased by the charaC
Ter of the wolS the meu have had TO perform
much of which might have been done by col
trabands, IL tue general commanding had chose
IN avail himself Of then services to a greater ey
tent. SOM Of the regiments are much bette
of than others and it is plain that their cond
lion when leaving home has very much to d
with their present state. The best armed an
Offered regiment here has had perhaps the yer
hardest work to do, and still has not suffered S
much as others. The tone Of feeling remains q
Is was, and carries them through everything.
The cOntTaband question is not less ~lnterestin
ia its features than important in its relation
the expedition and the whole Wal. Facts a.
60 numerous that the difficulty Is TO select frol
the zasss of materials those which are most in
p0rtant. ! can only repeat, to-day, a few of Il
statements, which come TO me from the best
authority, observing in the first place that the
are not more than thTee hundred in camp at pre-
ent. Their feeling Of hostility to 4 their late ma
tiers and gratitude to US is unmistakable al
universal, and their readiness 10 work is show
III every way. The policy Of Gen. Sherman,
whoever is responsible for his remarkable pro
lalnation, cannot pretend to fathom, nor am
able 10 see why their services should not reliel
the overworked soldiers from some OF the hea
lest tasks imposed upon them. The slaves con
slowly into camp for several reasons. The inv
elton held out is The coldest-the aceommod
tiops. when in, are wretchedly insuf6cient-th,
cannot bring their families in any number-th
cannot return for them if they are left behind
,Loir condition On the deserted plantations il O
- ease and comfort, and every obstacle 10 {
ann in thrown n their way. That they ha
Leen shot in numbers by oyeTseers and mastt
Is beyond question