condition. The work was more solidly constructed than when the first attack took place. The garrison appeared to be in fine spirits, and ready to defend the work to the last. At Fort Sumter the filling of the officers' quarters and the casemates was rapidly approaching completion. An exterior sand-bag revetment to the gorge wall was ordered, as well as a series of traverses, en barbette, on the east, south, and northeast faces, and many changes and removals in the armament.

During August 4 but little firing occurred on either side. Orders were given to rearrange certain guns in the batteries and lines Charleston Arsenal, was requested to collect all the old iron in the burned district of the city, to be cast into projectiles. Orders were given to Brigadier-General Ripley to arrange with Captain [J. R.] Tucker, of the navy, for an attempt to, capture the enemy's pickets in the March Battery, near Vincent's Creek.

On the 5th, the guns in Battery Wagner were all in fighting order. Our sharpshooters, armed with Whitworth rifles, seemed to annoy the enemy greatly, who endeavored to silence their fire with Coehorn mortars. About 9 o'clock on that night, a picket of the enemy which had taken possession of our unfinished battery in Vincent's Creek, and by signaling the arrival of our steamers at Cumming's Point interfered materially with our operations, was attacked by a party from the navy and from the Twenty-fifth South Carolina Volunteers. The result was satisfactory. One captain and 10 enlisted men of the enemy were captured. Our loss was 1 man killed. Our defensive works at Fort Sumter and other points progressed rapidly. The telegram of this day's date was:

Enemy still being largely re-enforced from northward. Cannot General Colquitt's other regiment be ordered here at once? More troops are absolutely required.

Throughout the 6th, the enemy fired occasional shots from his land batteries and fleet, but without material result. One casualty occurred. Our batteries fired at intervals throughout the day. Brigadier-General Cobb was ordered by telegraph to send 500 infantry and one light battery to report to Brigadier-General Mercer, in Savannah. The enemy on Morris Island worked laboriously on his batteries and trenches, while strong re-enforcements of troops were daily seen arriving.

On the 7th, I received a telegram from you, informing me that the balance of Colquitt's brigade was ordered to Charleston. There was little firing throughout the day. Only 2 casualties occurred on Morris Island.

On the 8th, Brigadier-General Evans reported his arrival in Savannah. A large increase was visible in the enemy's fleet in the StoNumbers During the day firing at intervals carried on from our batteries, but the enemy remained quite till the evening, when we opened on Battery Wagner, and continued the fire throughout the night. Instructions were given to the chief engineer to expedite the putting up in Fort Sumter of the sand-bag chemise to the gorgon wall, the interior traverses, merlons, embrasures, and a covered way to be erected between Batteries Wagner and Gregg.

The fire of the enemy during the morning of the 9th was heavy and rapid from his land batteries. The officer in command of the advance pickets reported that the enemy worked industriously in his trenches until 2 a. m. The fire of our sharpshooters evidently

6 R R - VOL XXVIII, PT I