HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, Washington, D. C., February 20, 1861.

Lieutenant Colonel HENRY L. SCOTT, A. D. C., &c., New York:

See Captain Ward, commanding the North Carolina, receiving ship, and ask him to get his squadron ready as soon as he can, and let you know how many recruits he will want in addition to his marines; learn, also, what subsistence stores he will want, including a good quantity of desiccated vegetables; also coals, &c. See that he is supplied with everything for Anderson. I shall write to-morrow. No time now. Afraid of the wires.

WINFIELD SCOTT.

No. 50.] FORT SUMTER, S. C., February 20, 1861. [Received A. G. O.,
February 23.]

Colonel S. COOPER,

Adjutant-General:

COLONEL: I have the honor to report that the work, a sketch of which was sent yesterday, is this morning nearly as high as the bomb-proof battery. Another battery has been discovered on Morris Island, just under the point of the woods, and to the right of and near to the battery from which the Star of the West was fired upon. See sketch of that island forwarded in No. 45.*

They are also extending the glaces in front of the southwest face of Fort Moultrie.

I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ROBERT ANDERSON,

Major, First Artillery, Commanding.

FORT SUMTER, S. C., February 20, 1861.

General JOS. G. TOTTEN,

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

GENERAL: Not having yet been able to obtain my papers from the office in the city, although I have made arrangements by which I shall soon get them, I thought it best to send off at once the monthly papers, and then to make out and send the cash statements and quarterly returns as soon as I obtain my vouchers from town. I therefore inclose to-day the following, viz:

Report of operations for Fort Sumter for December, 1860.

Report of operations for preservation of site of Fort Moultrie for December, 1860.

Report of operations for Castle Pinckney for December, 1860.

* * * * *

The operations of the South Carolinians around us are principally confined to their line of works on Cummings Point, westward towards the extreme point of the land. The negroes that were brought down day before yesterday are still at work upon the embankment of the parapet of this extension. It is probably their intention to form either a mortar battery or another breaching battery. The work, however, does not advance very rapidly. This is partly due to the weather, which, with the exception of some few pleasant days, has been excessively unfavorable to field operations, almost from the very day we came

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*Not found, but see inclosure in Foster to Totten, April 5, post.

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