from firing at the iron-clads at a range beyond that at which the Keokuk was perforated, on the 7th of April, 1863.

It is the wish of the commanding general that battery commanders shall be made to understand distinctly what is expected in this matter.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

THOMAS JORDAN,

Chief of Staff.

SULLIVAN'S ISLAND, S. C., September 2, 1863.

Captain W. F. NANCE,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

CAPTAIN: In reply to the note of the brigadier-general commanding this military district, I have respectfully to state that I have heretofore given most positive orders to the infantry commanders, whenever there should be an attack from the enemy's fleet only, to remove their men at once to the central parts of the island, where they would be sheltered behind the sand-hills. Colonel McKethan, of the Fifty-first North Carolina informed me last night that his men were just formed preparatory to marching when the accident occurred from the explosion of a shell in the rear of the Moultrie House. Had they been moved promptly, as they ought to have been (for I saw the explosion of the shell some time after the firing had commenced), they would have escaped injury.

I am much gratified to know that the general commanding was pleased with the effect of the firing. From one of the central batteries, just in front of the two wrecks, near the monitors, I could see that a number of the shot struck the monitors. As the nearest ones were frequently within about 1,500 yards, from my timing their reports, they must have sustained some injury. The external wall of Sumter shows this morning but little additional damage since sunset last evening.

I beg leave to say that some ten days since I urged upon Lieutenant Young the importance of having some of the torpedoes placed in the ship-channel, a little est of the line between the two wrecks, near this island and Cumming's Point. Had they been last night in that position, it is almost certain that some of the monitors would have been sunk while they were moving up and down, to avoid the range of our guns.

Very respectfully, &c.,

T. J. CLINGMAN,

Brigadier-General.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST MILITARY DISTRICT,
Charleston, September 2, 1863.

Brigadier-General JORDAN, Chief of Staff, &c.:

GENERAL: I have the honor to report that the action of the monitors last night was apparently with the intention of battering down the east face of Sumter. In this they succeeded so far as to demolish nearly the whole of the scarp wall, leaving through several of the arches only the sand embankment for protection. The fort was pene- trated twice or thrice through this, near the crown of the arches. No serious casualties occurred at Fort Sumter. Some two or three are understood to have occurred from the carelessness of certain com