supposed to have been killed by our sharpshooters. The parapet in front of new 10-inch columbiad was raised and strengthened last night, and the traverse in parade is more than half finished. I beg leave to call attention to inclosed paper relating to the condition of the battery.*

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

LAWRENCE M. KEITT,

Colonel, Commanding.

Captain W. F. NANCE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[Indorsement.]

1. Those 10-inch columbiads ought not to be unmasked until the monitors get quite close to the battery.

2. The traverses circle of one of the 10-inch columbiads should be properly railed at once, as well as the bed of that mortar. Give the order at once, and order in inspector to see that it is done.

G. T. B. [BEAUREGARD],

General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS BATTERY WAGNER,
August 5, 1863-11 a.m.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report that our sharpshooters on yesterday afternoon killed one of the enemy's sharpshooters and wounded another. Our sharpshooting seems to annoy the enemy very much. Last night the Twenty-first South Carolina Volunteer Regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Dargan, furnished the detail of 100 men for picket duty, under the command of Captain [H.] Le Gette. He reports that he heard the saws of the enemy and a great deal of hallowing, as if they were moving guns, and also that the enemy stopped working during the attack on their boat picket by our forces. He reports that he stationed his advance picket 20 yards in advance of the usual position for an advanced line of pickets.

The usual details for engineer, commissary, quartermaster, garrison guards, and ordnance duty were furnished from the forces on the island under my command.

Engineer Department.-Lieutenant Stiles, engineer in charge at Battery Wagner, reports that traverse near sally-port on creek is nearly completed; that he would have completed it, but the enemy commenced shelling and he did not wish to expose the men. He re-enforced Magazine No. 2, on sea face, built merlon on right of 32-pounder carronade (first gun on right of Magazine No. 3, land face).

I directed the engineer to explore the facilities for constructing a covered way between Batteries Wagner and Gregg, and call attention to his report, inclosed and marked A+. He also repaired the left flanking positions in front of sally-port on beach.

Chief of Artillery.-Remarks that the mortar on land face has had its bed repaired; that the platform has sunk a little, and asks that a new one be sent down. Traverse circle of the 32-pounder, reported on yesterday as being rotten, has been repaired. The columbiads are both ready for action. He begs that articles required for yesterday be furnished at once.

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*Not found.

+Not found.

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