Middle Key, and Bush Key. The construction of their outlines should be commenced at once, in order that they may be ready to receive the guns as soon as they arrive. In their construction your command will be employed. The Engineer officers at Fort Jefferson will be called upon by you for their professional advice and assistance in this matter.

Plans, as soon as prepared, should be forwarded to the headquarters of the department for confederation and approval, but you will not wait for this approval of the complete system to commence the works.

The first point on which to commence work is Bird Key.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

HARVEY BROWN,

Colonel, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS U. S. TRANSPORT SHIP ATLANTIC,
April 11, 1861.

Lieutenant J. ST. C. MORTON, Fort Jefferson, Tortugas:

SIR: You will act in concert with Major Arnols, commanding the harbor of the Tortugas, in preparing with the least possible delay projects for the complete temporary defense and occupation of the whole harbor of the tortugas. The orders issued to Major Arnols, which he will exhibit to you, will impress you of the general project. Requisitions have been made upon the Ordnance Department for twenty to twenty-four heavy guns with barbette carriages and platforms of timber for these batteries. If theses arrive they will be used. If ships arrive before them, the guns from the ships will be landed for this use, to be replaced by the Army pieces when received.

Orders have been issued to the commander of Fort Taylor to clear the brush and timber from a certain portion of the island of Key West. This brushwood will be used to make fascines, and will be transferred to the Tortugas upon requisition.

Relying upon your resources, energy, and intelligence for official professional aid in this matter,

I am, respectfully, your obedient servant,

HARVEY BROWN,

Colonel, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS STEAMSHIP ATLANTIC,
Off Key West, April 12, 1861.

Lieutenant Colonel E. D. KEYES,

Secretary to General-in-Chief, Washington, D. C.:

COLONEL: In obedience to the special instructions of the General-in-Chief, I proceeded to New York on the 2nd, and arrived there on the morning of the 3rd instant, and was engaged until Saturday, the 6th, in preparing for this expedition. On the afternoon of that day Barry's battery (Company A, Second Artillery), Hunt's company (M, Second Artillery), Duane's company of Sappers and Miners, and Companies C and E (Johns' and Citiz's), Third Infantry, and twenty Engineer carpenters were embarked on board the steamship Atlantic, Captain Gray. We hauled out in the stream at dark, but continued to take in cargo through the night, and on Sunday morning at 3 1/2 weighed anchor and went to sea. On Tuesday and Wednesday we had a heavy gale, dead ahead, the horses of the battery suffering very much from the heavy sea, the wet, and the cold, and were preserved only by the substantial excel-