Numbers 76.] FORT SUMTER, S. C., March 18, 1861.

(Received A. G. O., March 20.)

Colonel S. COOPER, Adjutant-General U. S. Army:

COLONEL: I have the honor to report that they removed at 11 o'clock last night the middle ship-channel buoy Numbers 3. We do not observe any parties at work this morning, except a very small one near the bomb-proof battery on Cummings Point. On Saturday afternoon several guns were fired on Morris Island. We were thereby enabled to count and mark the positions of twenty-three guns. The mortar batteries did not fire.

Our men are all in good spirits, and although the weather is unfavorable to-day, our sick-list is not increasing.

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

ROBERT ANDERSON,

Major, First Artillery, Commanding.

FORT SUMTER, S. C., March 18, 1861.

General J. G. TOTTEN,

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

GENERAL: Being Monday morning, the working parties have not at this time been brought down from town, consequently very little appears to be doing on Morris Island. During yesterday and last night some more guns and barbette carriages were landed on Cummings Point, the exact number of which I could not ascertain. Seven barbette-top carriages are now lying on the beach. These, as I have reported, have been removed from Castle Pinckney, and the city papers state that twenty had been ordered to be thus removed by General Beauregard.

A small party of laborers is still at work on the covered way connecting the mortar battery on James Island with the left flank of the line of entrenchments in rear of Fort Johnson.

The weather is misty, with indications of a storm.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. G. FOSTER,

Captain, Engineers.

P. S.-The channel buoy, about half a mile east of this fort (shown on Cost Survey map), was removed last night.

J. G. FOSTER,

Captain, Engineers.

WAR DEPARTMENT, March 19, 1861.

Lieutenant General WINFIELD SCOTT:

DEAR SIR: The President requires accurate information in regard to the command of Major Anderson in Fort Sumter, and wishes a competent person sent for that purpose. You will therefore direct some suitable person to proceed there immediately, and report the result of the information obtained by him.

I am, sir, very respectfully,

SIMON CAMERON,

Secretary of War.