arm the cavalry with sabers and double-barreled guns. Behind sand hills, in defense of a battery from an enemy landing on the beach, where the space of to be traversed by him is very short and open, I would prefer the double-barreled gun to any other arm, especially as in landing from the boats the enemy must be crowded. Two volleys of large buck-shot and the saber, even on foot, would do quick work. Our men are all used to the double-barreled gun, and they would fire it promptly and confidently. Besides, that weapon can now be furnished to the troops when rifles could not be had. Moreover if the enemy is in motion, or the horsemen, or if both, he is far more likely to be hit at short ranges with the double-barreled gun than with a rifle. To the uses of a support as infantry the cavalry could add the services peculiar to itself of charging a disorganized or surprised enemy, vedette and patrol duty, and the transmission of intelligence and of dispatches. On the shells for these guns I would have two fuses- the percussion at the apex, to be used against ships, and the Bormann fuse on the side, to be punched when fired upon infantry, barges or at sharpshooters on the tops of ships while in close action.

Nothing that the enemy can bring can neutralize this system. The inlets being closed he can land no heavy artillery. These guns would help to close the inlets, and would prevent even the landing of small guns. These, if landed, would be crushed by our artillery, and so would their small ships, if after passing the inlets they should venture into the narrow and tortuous creeks beyond. In connection with these guns nothing prevents the use of howitzers. The former would always remain guns of position, superior in range and accuracy to the Dahlgren as well as in destructiveness to ships.

To fully complete this system, however, in additional to the above means of defense permanently and immediately upon the coast, I would have at each State center of operations-at Charleston, for instance for the defense of South Carolina-a central battery of sea-coast flying artillery of twelve rifled 24-pounders, organized on the same principle as those hereinbefore mentioned, with forges, sling-carts, extra ammunition-wagons, &c., suppurated as they would have to dart off much farther than the former from their magazines. For this central battery of rifled cannon the personnel of two companies of artillery and two squadrons of cavalry might be sufficient. Adding to these a regiment of rifles or light infantry a compact, formidable flying column would be at hand-fortress in itself on reaching any part of of our coast where nature has provided suitable sandworks. Upon the receipt of intelligence of the proximate attack of any point upon the coast-North Edisto for instance, in the above sketch-the whole of this armament, with provisions for a week, could be towed in two flats or lighters (such as Ferguson's in Charleston) in the space of six hours by one of two small steamers. At each of our forts upon the coast a temporary work should be constructed to receive these guns, as well as those upon the beach, as soon as they are called in.

Let us suppose North Edisto fort, when the enemy's fleet appears off it to have but the six guns it has at present. The three 24-pounders, rifled, on the beach, as soon as in battery, would increase its armament to 9. The arrival of the central battery would in six hours increase it to 21, of which at least 15 are rifled. Should the fleet move to attack another point upon the coast, the battery and its support would also move inland in the creeks on a line parallel to it, to meet it wherever its services are required the fleet all the time unconscious that a fort is closely following it. Nothing but a few light-draught steamers and