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Doc. 200. the defence of Charleston, S. C.

Among the documents found in Fort Walker, S. C., was the following order from General De Saussure, providing for the defence of Charleston in case of an attack:

Headquarters Fourth Brigade S. C. M., Charleston, October 12, 1861.
orders No. Xlix.--I. In case of an alarm, requiring the prompt assembling of all the troops in the City of Charleston, the signal for each assembling will be fifteen strokes upon all the fire bells; an interval of one minute and the fifteen strokes will be repeated. The strokes will be repeated five times.

II. Upon the sounding of such a signal, the troops in the city will immediately assemble, under arms, and in marching order, at the respective regimental muster grounds, and being formed in line will await further orders.

III. The regiment of reserves will assemble on the street immediately in front of the Citadel, the color company resting on the gate of the Citadel, and will be retained in the city for its immediate defence, unless otherwise specially ordered.

IV. The officers commanding the Sixteenth and Seventeenth regiments of infantry, First regiment of rifles, and First regiment of artillery, will have their transportation wagons turned out and loaded with the regimental tents and stores, and pursuant to section CXLVII., A. A., 1841, will proceed to press horses and mules, as may be required for the transportation.

V. Upon an alarm being communicated to the country, the officers commanding companies will immediately extend the same in the mode pointed out in section CXLI., A. A., 1841.

VI. The alarm being communicated, the several companies composing the Eighteenth and Nineteenth regiments of infantry will promptly assemble at their respective muster grounds, and be governed by the following instructions, viz.:

1. If the information is that the enemy has landed north of Santee River, the several companies will be marched and stationed as follows:

The St. James Santee Company will be marched to South Santee Ferry, and will collect all the boats and flats and conceal them on the right bank of the river.

The mounted Company of St. James Santee will scour the country from the mouth of the river to Lenud's Ferry.

The Christ Church Company will be marched to Owendaw Bridge.

The St. Stephen's Company will be marched to the intersection of the river and Lenud's Ferry Roads, watching Lenud's Ferry, and will collect all the boats and flats and conceal them on the right bank of the river.

The Upper St. John's Company will be marched to the intersection of the river road with the Murray's Ferry Road, watching said ferry and the crossing of the Northeastern Railroad, and will collect all the boats and flats and conceal them on the right bank of the river.

The Middle St. John's Company will be marched to Bonneau's Station.

The Lower St. John's. Company will be marched to Huger's Bridge.

The St. Thomas Company will be marched to the intersection of the Half-way Creek and Clement's Ferry Roads.

The Dean Swamp, Indian Field and Cattle's Creek Companies will be marched, by the shortest practicable routes, to the intersection of the Santee Canal and Pineville Roads, a little below Fuerson's Lock.

The St. George, Dorchester, St. James, Goose Creek, Wassamasaw and Four Hole Companies will be marched, by the shortest practicable routes, to Strawberry Church.

The St. Andrew's Company will be divided into two platoons, one of which, composed of the members of the main, will patrol the main, and the other, composed of the members on the islands, will patrol the islands. The commanders of the two platoons will promptly communicate any suspicious movements in the water-courses intersecting the beat limits to these Headquarters. This instruction will govern the St. Andrew's Company, from whatever side the invasion is made.

2. If the information is that the enemy has landed between South Santee River and Charleston, the several Companies will be marched and stationed as follows: [437]

The mounted Company of St. James Santee will patrol the country between the Santee River and the intersection of the Georgetown and See Wee Roads.

The St. James Santee Company will be marched to Steed's Bridge, and will destroy that and the Owendaw Bridge, if necessary to prevent the energy's advance.

The St. Stephen's Company will be marched to the intersection of the road leading over Huger's Bridge with the Half-way Creek Road.

The Christ Church Company will be marched to the intersection of the Georgetown and See Wee Roads.

The St. Thomas' Company will be marched to Guerin's Bridge.

The Upper, Middle, and Lower St. John's Companies will be marched to Cainhoy, and will collect all the boats and flats and conceal them on the right bank of the river.

The St. James, Goose Creek, Wassamasaw, and St. George Dorchester Companies will be marched to the landing on Cooper's River, at the termination of the Red Bank Road, and will collect all the boats and flats from the adjoining country.

The Dean Swamp, Indian Field, Cattle's Creek, and Four Hole Companies will be marched to Eighteen-mile House, on the State Road.

3. If the information is that the enemy has landed south of Charleston, the several Companies will be marched and stationed as follows, viz.:

The mounted Company of St. James Santee will patrol the country from Santee River to Mount Pleasant.

The St. James Santee and St. Stephen's Companies will be marched to the intersection of the Georgetown and See Wee Roads.

The Christ Church Company will take post at Mount Pleasant.

The St. Thomas Company will be marched to Clement's Ferry, and will collect on the left bank of the river all boats land flats of the adjoining country.

The Upper, Middle and Lower St. John's Companies will be marched to the cross road, and a little below Goose Creek Bridge, and will destroy that bridge, if necessary, to prevent the enemy's advance.

The St. James, Goose Creek, St. George, Dorchester and Wassamasaw Companies will be marched to the intersection of the Bridge and Ashley Ferry Roads, and will destroy Rautowle's and Wallace's Bridges, if necessary to prevent the enemy's advance.

The ferry across Stono will be also watched, and all the boats and flats on the left bank of the river collected and concealed.

Indian Field and Cattle Creek Companies will be marched to Jacksonborough Ferry, and will also watch the railroad bridge near the ferry.

The Dean Swamp and Four Hole Companies will be marched to Parker's Ferry.

VII. The field-officers of the Eighteenth and Nineteenth regiments will promptly join their commands, and in the movement of their troops be governed by the enemy's movements. Should the enemy advance in such force as to cause the troops to retire, it is earnestly enjoined upon the commanding officers to converge to the troops posted next, and will, by couriers, keep these Headquarters advised of their own and the enemy's movements.

VIII. The commanding officers of the Eighteenth and Nineteenth regiments will promptly issue orders for the draft pointed out in section CXLVI., A. A., 1841, and will order the persons so drafted to be warned for duty, and the persons so warned will promptly assemble at the respective muster grounds, armed and equipped for duty.

IX. All persons so drafted and warned, who shall neglect or refuse to assemble and march with their respective commands, will be reported to these Headquarters, to be dealt with according to law.

X. The commanding officers of the Eighteenth and Nineteenth regiments will instruct the officers commanding companies in their respective regiments, in the manner of impressment pointed out by section CXLVII., A. A., 1841.

By order of Brig.-Gen. De Saussure. F. P. Lewis, Military Secretary.

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