mine that more than one of these guns can be used, and it has been dismounted once. The carriages of the others are evidently more or less shattered, and such is the ruin of the parapet and parade in the immediate vicinity of this gun, that it probably could not be served for any length of time.

In fine, the destruction of the fort is so far complete that it is to-day of no avail in the defense of the harbor of Charleston. By a longer fire, it can be made more completely a ruin and a mass of broken masonry, but could scarcely be more powerless for the defense of the harbor.

I therefore respectfully submit my opinion, that a continuation of our fire is no longer necessary, as giving us no ends adequate for the consumption of our resources.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JNO. W. TURNER,

Colonel, and Chief of Artillery.

Brigadier General Q. A. GILLMORE,

Commanding Dept. of the South, Morris Island, S. C.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH,
Morris Island, S. C., August 26, 1863.

SIR: I have the report no essential change in the condition of affairs here since my letter of the 24th instant. No guns have been mounted on Fort Sumter, as far as I can jude from appearances.

Three contrabands came in from Fort Johnson yesterday. They were officers' servants, and report, from conversation of the officers badly breached as the gorge wall, and that many of our projectiles passed through both walls, and that the fort contains no serviceable. guns.

The monitors are expected to go in again to-night, to operate on the obstructions. I have procured some calcium lights, and hope, with the assistance of the navy, to be able to interrupt the communications of the enemy with the island, and cutoff their supplies.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Q. A. GILLMORE,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief, Washington, D. C.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH,
Morris Island, S. C., August 30, 1863.

SIR: I have nothing to report since mine of yesterday, * except that I reopened fire on Sumter this morning at the request of Admiral Dahlgren, whose chief pilot reported that he saw some guns in position there last evening, a report which, whether correct or otherwise, prevented the monitors from operating as they intended to do.

It is not at all improbable that guns may have been remounted on Sumter during the night time within the past week. I admit

---------------

*See Operations on Morris Island, p. 199.

---------------