ORDNANCE OFFICE,

Washington, December 21, 1860.

Honorable JOHN B. FLOYD,

Secretary of War:

SIR: All the information called for by the letter of the Honorable B. Stanton, chairman of the Committee on Military Affairs of the House of Representatives and the accompanying resolution of that committed, dated the 18th instant, so far as it is within the purview of the Ordnance Department, will be found in the inclosed statements, viz:

Numbers 1. Quantity and description of ordnance, and arms at each of the forts in Charleston Harbor, viz, at Fort Moultrie, at Castle Pinckney, at Fort Sumter, and at the Charleston Arsenal, with the name and grade of the officer in charge of the arsenal, and the force under his control.*

Numbers 2. Number and description of arms distributed since the 1st of January, 1860, to the States and Territories, and at what price.*

Numbers 3. Arms distributed by sale since 1st January, 1860, to whom sold, and at what price.*

It is deemed proper to state, in further explanation of Numbers 2, that where no distribution appears to have been made to a State or Territory, or the amount of distribution is small, it is because such State or Territory has not called for all the arms due on its quotas, and remains a creditor for dues not distributed, which can be obtained at any time on requisition therefor.

The letter of the Honorable B. Stanton, with the accompanying resolution, is returned herewith.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WM. MAYNADIER,

Captain of Ordnance.

ENGINEER DEPARTMENT,

Washington, December 21, 1860.

Captain J. G. FOSTER,

Corps of Engineers, Charleston, S. C.:

CAPTAIN: Your letters of the 4th and 13th instants, reporting the operations you have undertaken for improving the defensible condition of the forts in Charleston Harbor, have been received, and your action in the matter is fully approved by this Department.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. E. DE RUSSY,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Engineers, Commanding

ENGINEER DEPARTMENT,

Washington, December 21, 1860.

Captain J. G. FOSTER,

Corps of Engineers, Charleston, S. C.,:

CAPTAIN: In reply to your letter of the 17th instant, I have to state that on inquiry at the Medical Bureau it is found that there is no intention of relieving Assistant Surgeon Crawford from duty at Fort Moultrie at present, but that it is presumed he will still be willing to go on attending to your men, as he is understood to be now doing, with-

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*See inclosure to Holt to Stanton, January 3, 1861, post. Nos. 2 and 3 not found.

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