night completed traverse on parade at entrance to magazine and hospital, southwest angle; also repairs and improvement to east barbette battery.

By steamer Etiwan were shipped the following ordnance stores: 400 10-inch mortar shells, 1,500 paper fuses, 1 box tops of brass fuses, plugs, 3 damaged muskets, 2 elevating screws, 6 boxes mortar fuses, 18 8-inch columbiad incendiary shells, 3 9-inch Dahlgren shells prepared, 300 pounds lead, 1 10-inch columbiad gun, 1 sponge, 8 boxes canister, 1 box of implements, fuse extractor, &c., fragments of gin legs; 1 box of fuse plugs.

Mr. J. Fraser Mathewes threw the 9-inch Dahlgren gun on southwest over the parapet; disabled in the fall. The garrison worked day and night. No casualties.

August 29 (journal).-There was no firing to-day; Company D left for Charleston, and a detachment of the Twenty-seventh Georgia Volunteers, 50 men, under command of Captain [H.] Bussey, arrived here. There are ready for shipment 400 10-inch shells (mortar), ammunition chests, wheels, &c. One Brooke gun and 1 42-pounder rifle were thrown over the ramparts. Brooke gun shipped last night. Garrison worked all day.

August 29 (letter to Brigadier-General Jordan).-I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the paper containing the opinions of Colonel J. F. Gilmer and Lieutenant Colonel D. BV. Harris, in relation to the advisability of the abandonment of Fort Sumter, * together with the indorsement to General Beauregard approving the same, and directing that-

Fort Sumter be held to the last extremity, i. e., not surrendered until becomes impossible to hold it longer without an unnecessary sacrifice of human life. Evacuation of the must not be contemplated one instant without positive orders from these headquarters.

I would respectfully state that I had already received instructions from district headquarters to hold the fort to the last, and that I informed Colonel J. F. Gilmer and Lieutenant Colonel D. B. Harris of the same. I would also respectfully state that I have not asked for a consultation with the engineer officers; nor have I recommended that Fort Sumter be evacuated; nor have I contemplated for one instant, without positive orders from these headquarters, the evacuation of Fort Sumter."

Fort Sumter will not be surrendered by me until in my opinion it becomes "impossible to hold it longer without an unnecessary sacrifice of human life." The commanding general is kept informed by reports as to the condition of the fort, and alone must determine as to the evacuation or not of the fort.

Should emergencies arise requiring, in my opinion the surrender of the fort, the responsibility will rest with me.

August 30.-Firing commenced at 5 a. m., very rapidly.

Casualties: Sergeant Schaeffer, Company H; Private [Hugh] Luguire, Company B, First South Carolina Artillery; Private [S.] Van, Company A, Twenty-seventh Georgia, slightly.

Working parties engaged on second-tier passage traverse, at western magazine, filling mess-room, and protecting from reverse fire of monitors; also filling from outside an opening on left of old sallyport on gorge, and aiding party dismounting guns by shoveling and building sand-bag cushions on berm.

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* See report Numbers 4, p. 608.

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