10-inch gun was being mounted at dark. It will be ready to-night or to-morrow early. There is still some difficulty about the platform for the Brooke gun. The batteries for the mortars in the rear of Shell Point will soon be ready. Soldiers will work on them to-night.

The engineer informed me that by Monday next he would have the chambers ready for the gun in rear of Fort Johnson, and the one to be placed in an old battery between Johnson and Shell Point. I saw no ammunition at Shell Point Battery, or troops to take charge. Soldiers were mounting the gun, however.

Just at dark the enemy made an assault on Fort Wagner, with infantry. It was kept up with little or no intermission. At 9 o'clock I left the Point.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. PLINY BRYAN,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. DEPT. SOUTH CAROLINA, GEORGIA, AND FLORIDA,
Charleston, S. C., July 18, 1863.

Brigadier General R. S. RIPLEY,

Commanding, & c.:

GENERAL: The general commanding desires that the Shell Point Battery shall be occupied to-night, and placed, as far as practicable, in condition for work, with the exact range of Battery Wagner established for the emergency of an assault to-night, for which we must be prepared.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

THOMAS JORDAN,

Chief of Staff.

HDQRS. DEPT. SOUTH CAROLINA, GEORGIA, AND FLORIDA,
Charleston, S. C., July 18, 1863.

Captain J. R. TUCKER, C. S. NAVY,

Commanding C. S. Naval Forces Afloat, Charleston, S. C.:

CAPTAIN: I believe it my duty to acquaint you with the fact that I consider it of the utmost importance to the defense of the works at the entrance of the harbor that some effort should be made to sink either the Ironsides or one of the monitors now attacking the works on Morris Island, not only because of the diminution thus effected in the enemy's means of defense, but because of the great moral effect that would inevitably result from such an occurrence. The stake is manifestly a great one, worthy of no small risk. For its accomplishment, one vessel, such as the Junoo, provided with the spar torpedo, with 2 or 3 officers and a few men, it is believed would be as effective at night for the end in view as a flotilla of vessels, so arranged, of the same class.

If, however, the results of your experiments are sufficiently adverse to the prospect of success with the contrivance, I must beg to be advised of the fact, to the end that I may not permit the expectation of assistance to enter further into my plans of defense; but if, on the other hand, the experiments remain satisfactory, permit me to say the time is rapidly passing away when that assistance can be of any avail or value.