feet, the crest of the fort being in reference (twenty-seven feet). The garrison had commenced four heavy traverses, but had made little progress with them. It is probable we should have dismounted the guns before they could have been covered. The construction of good traverses, merlons, and parados, that shall not take up too much room, is a matter of considerable time and labor, if the material has to be brought from any distance and elevated to high terre-pleins, as was the case at Fort Gaines. It was easy for us to land our guns, take them to the front, put them in battery, and open fire before the defense could get its guns under cover.

I send a map* of Dauphin Island herewith, with my line of works laid down. The left is thrown back in consequence of the enemy occupying Little Dauphin Island with artillery.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

M. D. McALESTER,

Captain and Chief Engineer.

Brigadier General R. DELAFIELD,

Chief Engineer, Washington, D. C.

OFFICE OF CHIEF ENGINEER, MILITARY DIVISION OF WEST MISSISSIPPI,

Near Orleans, September 9, 1864.

GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following report of the investment and siege of Fort Morgan by the forces under Major General Gordon Granger, the fleet under Rear-Admiral D. G. Farragut co-operating, resulting in its surrender on the 23rd of August, 1864:

August 9, Fort Gaines having surrendered on the 8th and re- enforcements arriving on the morning of the 9th, we moved our transports containing about 2,000 troops and all our siege material then available to Pilot Town, passing without interruption within two miles of Fort Morgan, and commenced landing at a wharf left in good order by the rebels at about 11 a. m. This was in accordance with the plan laid down in my report dated August 20, 1864, of our operations against Fort Gaines. In the course of the afternoon our advance was moved up and occupied a line at 2,000 yards from the fort. Lieutenants Burnham and Allen, Corps of Engineers, accompanied a reconnaissance to the front, and discovered a line of trench extending nearly across the point, constructed by the rebels and abandoned. As considerable work had been done on this trench, which we could utilize with slight changes, and the conformation of the ground was most favorable, it was decided to convert it into a first parallel and establish in and near it out 30-pounder Parrotts and other long-range guns, including field rifles and such long- range smooth-bores as we could borrow from the fleet, although the distance (1,400 yards, about) was greater than desirable. I had directed that these guns should be established within 1,200 yards, a distance admitting sufficient accuracy to dismount guns on the land fronts of the fort, permitting at the same time sufficient curvature to the trajectories to attain the terre-pleins of the water fronts (where there was no provision of parados, and the number of traverses inadequate), both in reserve and enfilade. At night our advance occupied this line of trench.

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*On file in the office of the Chief of Engineers, U. S. Army.

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