[Indorsement.]

HDQRS. FIRST MIL. DIST., DEPT. S. C., GA., AND FLA.,
Charleston, August 15, 1863.

Respectfully forwarded. Orders given with regard to ordnance.,

R. S. RIPLEY,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS MORRIS ISLAND, S. C.,
Battery Wagner, August 15, 1863.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report the following as the effective strength of my command to-day:

Infantry:

51st North Carolina, Colonel McKethan, about........... 374

1st Georgia (detachment), Captain Davenport, about..... 160

12th Georgia Battalion, Major Hanvey, about............ 184

18th Georgia Battalion, Major Basinger, about.......... 119

Sharpshooters, Lieutenant Woodbery, about.............. 20

Artillery:

Company H, 1st South Carolina Volunteers, Lieutenant

Pringle, about........................................ 67

Detachment 1st South Carolina, Lieutenant Alston,

about................................................. 16

Company C, South Carolina Siege Train, Lieutenant

Gregg, about.......................................... 27

Company A, Lucas' battalion, Lieutenant Ogier, about... 64

Company G, 2nd South Carolina, Lieutenant [George P.]

Bush, about........................................... 64

Detachment Chatham (Georgia) Artillery, Lieutenant

Palmer, about......................................... 31

Detachment of cavalry (couriers), about................ 11

------

Total.................................................. 1,137

In accordance with my usual practice, I opened fire on the enemy's work in our front with seven guns and one mortar, which I continued till daylight, preserving intervals of about five minutes between each gun, and occasionally firing by battery, and then ceasing for awhile, in order to bring out the enemy's working parties and then fire rapidly upon them. I found this to work well, as my pickets report many shrieks from the enemy's wounded.

To-day the enemy have been busily engaged working on a large battery on their left, situated on what (I think) is called Thomas Island. I have been using the mortar at this place and 9-inch gun at Battery Gregg on the during the day. Whenever a gun would fire they would run and hide themselves until the shell had exploded, and them resume their work. I think if the different batteries in reach of this work would kept up a continuous fire on it, their work would be very much impeded, if not entirely checked. The enemy have been quite quiet both on land and sea to-day, occasionally firing a Parrott gun at this place; later this afternoon they have kept up a considerable fire on Battery Gregg. At the latter place, Private Henry A. Carter, Company H, First Volunteers, Georgia Regiment, had his right left shot off this afternoon.

I have kept large fatigue parties at work during my whole tour of duty here, and, by the assistance of the engineers, have improved the condition of affairs very much. I have erected banquette treads on the front face whenever they could be put, and repaired those which were injured. I have also very nearly completed banquettes on the

32 R R-VOL XVIII, PT I