unable to give in detail the duty performed each day as accurately as I could otherwise; nevertheless the following report is correct in the main as to date and material:

Sunday, August 23, at night, arrived, accompanied by Colonel Harris. chief engineer at Battery Wagner, Brigadier-General Hagood in command. I accompanied by Lieutenant Gregorie, one of the engineers whom I found in charge, went partially over the work. The enemy was quiet. There was no firing but that of an occasional shot from our pickets and from two of our arms.

Monday, August 24, I made an early survey of the work, and then ordered a detail of 100 men for fatigue duty. They reported at 8 o'clock, and I continued to work them through the day until 5 p.m., when they were relieved. My attention during the day was directed to the repair of those portions of the work which had been previously injured by the shells of the gunboats, and lying within the fort. I repaired the injury done to the sides of Magazine No. 3., and also the interior slopes of the bases of the merlons. Not having sandbags, I was forced to work to great disadvantage from the scarcity of shovels.

Observing that the timbers of the covering of the bomb-proof of the hospital upon the exterior or sea face were, from the effect of the shot of the enemy's gunboats and from the action of the wind, exposed, I immediately filled it up to its original slope with earth. No revetment could be made for the want of sand-bags. For these I telegraphed to Major Echols, Chief of Engineer Bureau. I found no carpenters' tools but a few axes, almost useless for want of a grindstone.

From such observations as I could make from time to time during the day, I discovered the rifle-pits of the enemy to be about 600 yards off; our own about 450, the two upon our right approaching within 45 yards of each other.

At daylight the firing of the enemy began with that of artillery and sharpshooters. The latter annoyed us much. During the day, the firing of artillery was kept up upon both sides, and but slowly, until about 4.30 p.m. when it became heavy upon the part of the enemy. Previous to this hour, they had fired at us not more than 40 shots from their 200-pounder Parrott guns, and about 80 from those of smaller caliber. From this hour till about 6.30 o'clock, as many as 120 shots were fired. Their object appeared to be to dismount an 8-inch sea-coast howitzer upon our sea face and to prevent re-enforcements coming up from the sand-hills, where the regiment not upon duty were ordered to remain during the day, protected by the high hills of sand, and from Battery Gregg, and to conceal their own re-enforcements' approach. During the day, they shelled our rifle-pits with mortars.

I ordered 100 men for fatigue duty, and placing them at work after the firing had ceased, went out with the relief picket guard to our rifle-pits. With my night glass I exammed attentively the position of both of the respective lines and rifle-pits. The night was clear and the moon bright, so that I had an excellent opportunity afforded for my object. I this changed the direction of our rifle-pits, and instead of continuing them farther in that line began with 80 men to erect a small covered way from a point at the end of our rifle-pits to another near the causeway, leading from the sally-port upon our extreme right and directly under the wall of the fort. Returning, I continued the repairs upon the parapet of the land face. Much