Today in History:

160 Series I Volume I- Serial 1 - Charleston

Page 160 Chapter I. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.

for fear that he will be regarded as a traitor to South Carolina for furnishing comfort and aid to her enemies.

God save our country.

I am, colonel, your obedient servant,

ROBERT ANDERSON,

Major, First Artillery, Commanding.


No. 29.] FORT SUMTER, S. C., January 31, 1861. [Received A. G. O.,

February 4.]

Colonel S. COOPER,

Adjutant-General:

COLONEL: I hasten to write this letter, to be taken to the city by my friend, the Hon. Robert N. Gourdin, to say that the butcher has sent down a supply of fresh beef, with a note from him stating that he had not received my note, and that he did not, therefore, know of my order to him to continue my supplies as when I was in Fort Moultrie. He states that he sends the beef to-day in compliance with instructions from Mr. Gourdin, who has received a letter from me, in which I had alluded to my having written to him about it. He concluded by saying that he will cheerfully send what I require. Mr. Gourdin says that his excellency the governor is very desirous that we shall receive our supplies regularly, and thinks that there can be no difficulty in reference to groceries also. Hoping in God that there can be no further difficulty of any sort in this harbor,

I am, colonel, respectfully, your obedient servant,

ROBERT ANDERSON,

Major, First Artillery, Commanding.

FORT SUMTER, S. C., January 31, 1861.

General Jos. G. TOTTEN,

Chief Engineer U. S. Army, Washington, D. C.:

GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 28th instant, informing me that $15,000 was placed to my credit with the assistant treasurer of the United States at New York. This relieves me from my present embarrassment. I shall, however, require $5,000 more for Fort Sumter by the end of the month of February.

The operations of the South Carolinians around us continue to be carried on with activity by means of a large force of negroes. The battery on Cummings Point, mentioned in my last letters, is being enlarged into a field work, the parapet of which is not sufficiently formed to distinguish the trace with accuracy. To the west of this field work they have commenced what appears to be a redoubt. This is quite near the western point of Cummings Point.

Steamers are quite active, especially at night, in delivering materials at this point. A very large quantity of timber has been delivered, in rafts, and used for revetments, platforms, and, apparently, bomb-proof shelters.

On Sullivan's Island I have learned that the battery in the cross street opposite Dr. Ravenel's house, also opposite where the chaplain, Rev. Mr. Harris [now at Fort Washington], lived, is for mortars, apparently, as no embrasures are formed, but that neither guns or mortars are, as yet, placed in it. The batteries on the island above Fort Moultrie are


Page 160 Chapter I. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.