latter artillery of the greatest range, in order that it may engage small steamers lying off, sink approaching barges, and should the latter effect a landing with howitzers and men, crush them by the superiority of their metal and the advantages of range, and at the same time so portable that it can easily be used upon the coast, and even in emergencies upon the sandy roads, on the island or the main-land. In the rifled 24-pounder on siege carriage we have the gun required.

Experience has shown that a rifled 24-pounder, not banded, can throw an elongated percussion shell, the most formidable to ships, much over 3 miles. The conditions necessary for the safety to the gun are that the shell do not weigh more than one and a half the weight of the round solid shot of the same caliber, and that the charge for the 24-pounder do not exceed five pounds. This 24-pounder rifled cannon, outranging the largest Dahlgren guns of the enemy's fleet, and if provided with good shells far more formidable than the former can, on siege carriages, be drawn with the greatest ease up and down the beach at half and at low tide by 6 horses. I will assign, however, 10 horses to each gun and 10 to each ammunition wagon, and I would permanently attach to each gun and ammunition wagon, for protection and support, for assistance in drawing them at high water or on heavy roads on extraordinary occasions and for co-operation in action against infantry, a body of cavalry, at the rate of 10 mounted men to each gun and ammunition wagon. For such guns, stationed on the coast, no more carriages and no forces, &c., would be required to be moved with the guns, for the reason that this artillery has for its object to link the batteries at the inlets, to close and watch the space which intervenes between them, and to prevent their being taken in reverse. At night they are expected to unite in some central post upon the coast, or to fall back upon the forts which constitute their base. These forts they would flank against a land attack, and re-enforce materially in a contest against ships. For this purpose, at each fort or battery there should be constructed a suitable work, with magazine and stored ammunition, ready to receive these guns whenever recalled. Thus, if there were stationed three 24-pounder rifled cannon on siege carriages on the natural fortress of sand hills (a most important feature of our coast) back of the beach on Edisto Island, at the points marked C, D, and E, they would cross their fire against barges or land forces, and would even advantageously engage, when united, any small steamers that might contrive to approach sufficiently near to protect the enemy's landing.

To carry out beyond peradventure the operation of moving behind the sand hills, where the road is heavy, to move at high water in great emergencies along the beach, to cross with the sea-coast flying artillery a belt of country in order to intercept the enemy or to take a strategic position, a strong rope, with ten straps permanently affixed to it along its length, is to be connected to the chain the draught horses are pulling by. Each of these straps is hooked on temporarily to the breast-band of the saddle of each cavalry soldier assigned to each gun and ammunition wagon, and thus 20 horses will be the draught to each gun in any difficult traveling. In an emergency, to place the guns in position at the shortest notice and in the most difficult localities, the horses and horsemen belonging to the ammunition wagon can be attached temporarily to the gun, and thus 40 horses are at once available to extricate it even from a morass. This duty performed they can return and still more easily remove the ammunition wagon. In case of an attempt of the enemy to land the infantry at the two forts, A and B, could unseen behind the hills, come to the support of cavalry and artillery. I would