HDQRS. PROVISIONAL ARMY CONFEDERATE STATES,
Charleston, S. C., April 10, 1861.

General R. G. M. DUNOVANT,

Commanding Sullivan's Island, S. C.:

MY DEAR GENERAL: Please tell Colonel Ripley I have received his letter of this day to Major Jones. I appreciate all the difficulties he refers to, but this is one of those moments when the word impossible must be ignored, for the fate of Anderson and Sumter depends upon the result of this night's firing. Captain Hartstene and the naval officers are of opinion that the barges can pass our batteries in a dark night, hence we must be prepared to fire on their landing place, which will be the western face and postern of Sumter, not seen by any of our guns. Captain Hartstene is going to light up the entrance of the harbor with floating light-wood fires, and our Drummond lights must be set in active operation as soon as the alarm of "boats are coming" is given. Up to that time they must be kept ready for operations.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

G. T. BEAUREGARD,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HDQRS. PROVISIONAL ARMY CONFEDERATE STATES,
Charleston, S. C., April 10, 1861.

General R. G. M. DUNOVANT, Sullivan's Island, S. C.:

DEAR GENERAL: From all the information we can receive it is probable that the attempt to relieve and provision Sumter will be made to-night in barges, through, probably, the Swash Channel. I have sent verbal orders to Ripley a moment ago to endeavor to put forthwith that dismounted Dahlgren gun (now on the Sullivan Wharf) in position near the extreme end of said island, and then to construct a hasty parapet in front of it. Its main object is to enfilade the landing of the western face of Sumter, and the postern in that angle, for that is where the disembarkation is going to take place. Will you see at once to the execution of these instructions? Then I wish Captain Hamilton to mark out the best position for his battery, just outside of said western point of Sullivan's Island, for the same purpose as that already indicated by me for the Dahlgren gun, and to let me know when he will require a steamboat to report to him for that object. He must be careful to put his battery as near the point as practicable, so as to avoid the heavier fire of Sumter.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

G. T. BEAUREGARD,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HDQRS. PROV. ARMY CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA,
Charleston, S. C., April 11, 1861.

Honorable L. P. WALKER, Secretary of War, Montgomery, Ala.:

SIR: I transmit herewith, for the information of the Department, a copy of my note of this morning to Major Anderson, commanding at Fort Sumter, demanding the surrender of that fort to the Confederate Government, together with a copy of his reply thereto.* As soon as

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* See inclosures to Anderson's report, p. 13.

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