casualties. He has thus far thrown about 120 shells to wound slightly 1 white man and killed 1 old woman. Not a house has been burned.

Garrison of Sumter is in fine spirits, and hopeful.

G. T. BEAUREGARD,

General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST MILITARY DISTRICT,
Mount Pleasant, November 23, 1863.

Brigadier General THOMAS JORDAN:

GENERAL: I have the honor to bring to the attention of the commanding general the fact that some weeks since I reported that certain work was necessary to protect the eastern flank of Battery marshall from an enfilade and reserve fire fom monitors or iron-clads of the enemy which may take position in the Maffit Channel, at a distance of from 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 miles.

Colonel D. H. Hamilton, having been assigned to the command of the troops in that vicinity, was directed by me to make an examination, and report upon the wants of the position, to ascertain the number of tools disposable, and to state what amount of work could be done by the troops to supply the deficiencies of the Engineers. This was done by him on the 1st and 2nd instant, and was duly reported to the headquarters of the department.

I was instructed by telegraph to employ the troops to do the work in question. The tools could not be obtained from the engineer supply, and requisition was made by my order on the quartermaster's department for them. Delays occurred from day to day, not only in obtaining them, but even in ascertaining whether they could be procured, owing to some misunderstanding among the officers of that department in Charleston, over whom I have no control. After some time a certain quantity were available from different sources, which Colonel Hamilton proceeded to use for the object indicated, in what I have believed to have been the most simple and effectual method.

Some weeks after the matter had been brought forward, Lieutenant-Colonel Harris, chief engineer, visited Battery Marshall, and finding that the work was to progress, proceeded to lay out a piece of fortification, without consultation with the district commander, and in direct opposition to the views of Colonel Hamilton. This was in effect, as reported, a miniature citadel, which would not effect the object indicated, and apparently, if finished, is to be used as a place of last resort, should the enemy take possession of the eastern portion of the work, which can only be done by a coup de main, after crossing a rapid tide-way, or by the effects of a crushing bombardment from Long Island, to which the proposed citadel would be as exposed as the rest of the work. The development of the proposed citadel is a quite as great or greater than of that deemed more efficacious by the local commander and myself.

Under the orders to protect the western flank from an enfilade and reserve fire, Colonel Hamilton, as I deem, very properly declined to employ his force on the citadel, as called by Lieutenant-Colonel Harris. I received a telegram on the subject, asking the nature of the work, and replied also by telegraph. Soon after, I received direction from the headquarters of the department that