, 1864-04-12

Of the Battlc or O1ustee.
Especial Dispatch to the Chicago Tribpne.l
WAsmSGroS. April II, 1854
The following /. Gen Gilmorc'e report of thf
battle Of Oluetec:
HEADQUARTERS DEp'r OF TIE SOUTH.
HILTON Head, 8. c.. March 6, 1854.
T. W. Hnl1tcl, Genc1al-in-Chict, Washington, Z, C..
GESE1AI: have the honor to submit herewith
c.niss Of Certain letters and telegraphic dispatches
t;cn I: c. Seymour. relative to operations in Flo
rida prior to the fight at oluttec on the 10h ut.
hrief narrative Of events connected with the
Under date oi he I'd d 81 pi'fe December 1873 wa.
authorized bE you to undertake euch operations IN
ms department ~ might deem best, suggesting
conference with Admiral Dahl:ren, DC.
,oni u1 1ffmaa. Il s 1sS wrote yo1 that unless
Johns River, In Florida, soon, and establish small
oepots there preparatory 10 an advance west
,'!. 1t az early dsy or 5snpssy 18Th wrote to
the occupation Of Florida, on the west bank Of St
John's hsFer at very early dag. Under date ot
o! Janna "a you informed % ne that IL In Ee:asdto any
piled that the matter had been left entirely to ny
judgement and discretion. with the me.na at M
S and md that as thc obsct Of TIE proposed
for you to judge ot its advantages and practicable
i,y:
objects to be Obtained By the operations, were: 49,
ill., To procure an outlet Tor cotton, lumber, tim
3D. 70 cut OF, one Of the enemy's sources Of CON.
q. To obtain recruits for ms colored regiments.
~; 10 insnsu5ate measures fos the speedy res
with the Instructions which + had 7eceivei from
the fieside9t by the hande OF Major John Hays,
On August 5th directed Gen. Seymour, WHOSE
command was Already embarked for JacksonT,lIt,
Florida to effect l1ndln5 there, and push for
ward mounted force up to BALDWIN, seventy miles
roads from jacEeonTille and Fernandina. i DOT. Dor
ton Of the command reached Baldwin on thu 9TH,
a which point Joined them on the evening Of the
Elorada except the scattered fragments Of Gen,
FtancEan's oommcnd. We had taken all his artil-
!esE On the aosh portion Of our forces we're sent
and Baldwin on the I1th. On that day teles.aphed
to Gen. Seymour not 10 risk rcpulse in advancing
were reasons ior falling back which lid not know;
and in case biz advance met with serious oppost-
lion, to concentrate It Sandelson and the south
Luck Col Henrys command the mornted forcs, os, to
on the 1;th, Gen. Seymour informed me from
ioEl. OF the St Marx'e 10 soon Col. Henry, whom
he had ordered hack from the 'front.', had
E.tarned. cn the SANG 3ay telecraphed to Gea.
yond Baldwin concentrated at Baldwin without
delaE, for reasons which gave him.
18th. the main body Of bis command being at that
time at BALDWIN at directed. He had however
sent Co! Henry tomarts the left to. CAPTURE some
rai,road trains at Gainesville On the Fcrnandina
and Cedar Keys Railroad. After arranging with
Gen. Seymour for the construction Of certain de-
fences At Jacksonville Baldwin and the south fork
leaving behind me Capt. Rose Of The Ensinee1s'
give The Necessary instructions for the defenses
t.
tween Gen. Seymour and myself that no advance
would be made without further Instructions from
me, nor until the dclenfes were well advanced On
tel from Gen. seymour, ds1ed the 17ih, stating
that be intended to advance without aGpplies. II
ns Zoo
vile, to stop the movement. 1e was
Upon arriving at Jacksonville, ailer consiaera6is
delay due to the inclemcncs Of the weather, be
learned that Gen. Seymour Was engaged with the
4 alon S9 rao:d e 5aes
sonv1llc on the 18th, WAS entirely satisfied with
the tuccefR Of our operations up 10 that time. !
IN 9 eeI! Of "a o
which extract as folioWH:
Gen. Sevmours advance has been within four
nut to risE . repuise, Or - make '@ an aitseE when
there vas prospect Of inenrrinT much loss; be
has taken mp 2 Position At Baldwin, the junction
from Fcraandina. He holds also the crossing Of
The st. Marg's South Fork. about twelve miles
west Of Baldwin. I Intend to construct several
works capable Of resisting coup de H1tA at Jack
sonvIIie, Baldwin, Pilatka and perhaps ono Or two
other i'm poitant points so oEtrenEhcned that twoor
thre hundred men will be sufacient at each point
1nents that have been permanently stationed IN the
State at St Augustine, and one at Fernandina,
oGfhs se4g Ii a@ee u Gs5e viii be sufficient for
euch defensive work rs may be dcemed necessary.