Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 12.djvu/76

 66 Southern Historical Society Papers.

Headquarters James Island, June 22, 1862.

Colo7iel Hagood, Commanding Advanced Line, East Division, James Island :

Colonel, — In the absence of General Evans, first in command on the i6th instant, allow me to \\\'a,n\;. yoii for your distinguished ser- vices on that day, and through you to thayik Colonel Stevens, Colonel Simo7iton and the other gallatit officers and men under your com- mand, for their noble ajid gallant service at that time. Please make known my views to your command.

Very respectfully, sir, your obedient servant,

Wm. Duncan Smith, Brigadier- Ge7ieral Conunanding.

Contributions to the History of the Confederate Ordnance Department.

[We have long desired to secure a series of papers on Confederate Ordnance — the great obstacles with which our Government had to contend, the able and efficient means employed to overcome these obstacles, and the splendid results achieved in the face of difficulties which would have appalled men of less nerve and defeated officers of less skill.

Our gallant and accomplished friend. General I. M. St. John, who was so long the chief of the Nitre and Mining Bureau, had promised to secure us such a series of papers from those who were in position to know the facts, and was at work on it with his accustomed energy when death deprived us of his invaluable services.

General Gorgas, the able chief of the Department, had promised to make his contribution, when his lamented death ended a long and useful career.

We count ourselves, therefore, especially fortunate that the follow- ing paper from General Gorgas has been preserved — that other inter- esting and valuable papers have been promised — and that Colonel William Allan, the accomplished Chief of Ordnance of the old Sec- ond Corps Army Northern Virginia, has kindly consented to edit them for us.]