&c. Off the bar-French vessel, gunboat, mortar-boat, and six other vessels.

6 p.m. Batteries Cheves and Haskell have been in occasional action during the day, firing since 6 a.m 55 shots. The enemy in the same time have fired 107.

6.30. Enemy showing a calcium light on one of their monitors.

8.30. Second calcium light at one of enemy's batteries.

At about 2 p.m. to-day the enemy discovered the work at Dill's Bluff, and fired several shots at it from the Pawnee, only two of which struck, doing no damage.

One 8-inch columbiad was this morning brought by Mr. J. Fraser Mathewes from Fort Sumter to the city, and landed on Commercial Wharf. The fleet at Hilton Head is sixty-nine vessels. No iron-clad reported.

Major [Edward] Manigault in his journal still complains of the bad quality of the shell-fuses. He reports that the Marsh Battery, No. 1, of which the parapet to the north was somewhat damaged and displaced by concussion of the gun, has been repaired, and the gun itself is no longer visible.

Fragment of an intercepted dispatch by the signal operators on Sullivan's Island:

* * * The stoppage of our fire at the moment of assault to-morrow at about 9 o'clock is liable to uncertainty. I would, therefore, * * * the moment the Ironsides begins her rapid fire, say about 8.30 o'clock, that she shall hoist a red flag, and when half an hour of rapid fire shall cease, the flag shall be pulled down, which will indicate the entire cessation of her fire. The fire of all monitors is to cease when the red flag is hauled down, unless directed against re-enforcements from Gregg. * * *

No firing to-day at Sumter. Seventy-six negroes arrived, and finished the traverse and arch of the second tier, and began to fill in the arch.

About 500 shots and shells and other ordnance stores were shipped last night.

At 10 p.m. the Charleston Battalion, under Major [Stephen] Elliott [jr.], arrived, and relieved Colonel Alfred Rhett, and Captain [D. G.] Fleming, Company B, detachments of Twenty-seventh and Twenty-eighth Georgia Volunteers.

[Scout from Battery Marshall visited Long Island, and discovered no signs of the enemy.*]

September 5, 1863. Battery Wagner has been firing steadily all night, and Moultrie, Simkins, Cheves, and Haskell occasionally. Our batteries have thrown since 6 p.m. of the 4th, 280 shots, &c., and the enemy 274. All of the latter were directed against Wagner.

6 a.m. In the last twenty-four hours, 335 shots have been fired by us and 381 by the enemy.

12 m. Since 6 a.m., Moultrie, Gregg, Wagner, Simkins, and Cheves have fired in all 173 shots, and the enemy, from land batteries, Ironsides, and monitor, 864, principally against Wagner, but an occasional shot at Gregg and Sumter.

11 a.m. The Federal flag, which has been 100 yards south of Wagner, is now abreast of south angle of that work.

During the evening our batteries have been firing slowly but steadily, throwing in the past six hours 105 shots, while the enemy have fired 615 shots; occasionally at Gregg, and the remainder [or majority] at Wagner.

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*Major Rion's report, 541.

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