ken nature of the ground, one end of the fortifications resting on the summit of one mountain and the other on the top of the other, it would be impossible, in case an assault were made on any one point of the line, to re-enforce the point assailed from any other point without exposing the troops to cross-fire of infantry and artillery for the whole distance traveled, and the movement could not be made in time to render assistance. The water upon which we had to depend was, with the exception of two very weak springs that did not afford water more than enough for a single company, at the foot of the mountain on the south side and immediately under fire of the enemy's artillery and infantry. The fortifications on the south side of the mountain, that were erected by the enemy when he occupied the position before, were very formidable, but owing to our weak force we were unable to occupy them, and you were compelled to station your troops in the gap and on top of the mountains.

HAMILTON WILKINS,

Second Lieutenant, C. S. Artillery.

Brigadier General JOHN W. FRAZER,

Provisional Army, Confederate States.

Numbers 29.

Reports of Lieutenant P. D. Hunter, C. S. Artillery, Ordnance Officer.

JOHNSON'S ISLAND,

Near Sandusky City, Ohio, April 20, 1864.

To all whom it may concern:

Know ye that this is my statement of facts that occurred at Cumberland Gap before and up to the surrender of that place on September 9, 1863. I at that time being the ordnance officer of the post, know the state that the ammunition was in and the amount that was on hand; therefore, I certify on honor that the following statements shall be as near the truth as I can recollect:

First We had on hand 220,000 rounds of small-arms ammunition, which was considerably damaged by the leaking of the magazine during the rainy spring of 1863 and the different times it had to be removed that the magazine might be repaired. Every time the magazine would begin to leak, I reported the fact to the commanding officer that he might have it repaired, and at the same time asked for an inspector to examine the ammunition. General Gracie would order the ammunition to be moved out of the magazine; one time into an open shed, where it staid exposed for six weeks.

There came a storm at night, blew the shed down, and left the ammunition exposed to the weather without any protection until morning. Then it was moved, by order of the commanding officer of post, into commissary's store, which was an old foundry on the bank of the largest stream of that place, which necessarily made it the dampest house at the gap. There it remained for three months waiting for the magazine to be repaired. When General Frazer came to the gap I reported the facts to him. He stopped all work and had the magazine repaired, and had his inspector-general to inspect the ammunition, which was found in a very bad state; the powder in some of the boxes was perfect slush. So he sorted out