The note appended to Schedule A explains the seeming discrepancy in that estimate and Schedule C the estimate for the Regular Army.

No estimate has been made for any of the State forces that may be mustered into the service of this Government, under the Provisional Army bill, other than those of South Carolina.

There were no data in this Department upon which any approximate estimate could be made, as no returns have been received from any of the the States except South Carolina of the number of troops to be tendered, or that may volunteer under the provisions of the act referred to.

It is probable that the Regular Army to be provided for cannot be organized in time to meet the possible emergencies of the service, and the only present available forces belong to the military organizations of the respective States.

As no estimate is made for any of these State troops except those of South Carolina, and as the appropriations for the Regular Army could not be used for the support of the Provisional Forces without legislation to that effect, I would suggest that this authority be conferred by the Congress.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

L. P. WALKER,

Secretary of War.

HEADQUARTERS FORT MOULTRIE, S. C.,
March 5, 1861.

Major N. G. EVANS, Adjutant-General, South Carolina Army:

MAJOR: In accordance with the orders contained in your letter of this date, Major Smith's battalion of the First South Carolina Volunteers is now embarking for Morris Island. Their departure will leave a total of 305, including 63 Vigilant Rifles, who are all required for guard at the five-gun battery. Of the 242, Company D, of the Artillery battalion, has been down but a few days, and are in constant readiness for duty in the floating battery. Their total present is 74, and deducting them, I have but 171 total, no man 15 guns on the channel, requiring 75; 11 guns on the Sumter battery, 55; 4 guns on the oblique battery, 20, and 40 men for the mortar battery, requiring 190 at least, to say nothing of guard duty at the fort, which, of course, must be attended to. In addition to this, the absence of a force of some efficiency entails upon this command the necessity of keeping up the guard at the eastern end of the island and at the steamboat landing; and, in addition, I have set my men at work on the fortifications, to complete traverses, & c. I respectfully represent that in my opinion an efficient force for support to the batteries on this island is absolutely necessary, and that the artillery should be kept to the duties of their batteries alone. Again, the principal quartermaster's duty on this island now falls on the battalion quartermaster of the artillery, who is now commanding a company, and cannot be spared. I respectfully represent that when a command is sent it should have its own quartermaster and staff.

In order to prepare as quickly and as fully as possible for contingencies, I have the honor to request that I may have permission to select from recruits (now in the various depots) a sufficient number to fill Companies A, B, and D, of the artillery battalion, to the maximum strength allowed by law, viz, one hundred privates to a company. I request the permission to select, because there are many newly-en