split. I therefore most respectfully recommend that this battery be furnished with new carriages as soon as practicable. A greater part of the ammunition of this battery is imperfect and some utterly worthless. The powder in the cartridges is caked; this may have been caused by the very damp climate the battery has been stationed in. The projectiles for the rifled gun are very poor, and the fuses of the rifle shell badly damaged. I directed the commanding officer to turn over his damaged powder and imperfect projectiles to the district ordnance officer, and at once require for good ammunition. The officers of this battery state that the practice with the rifle shell proved them very poor, none of them exploding. The harness is in tolerably fair order, but needs a good deal of repairing; rammers, sponges, &c., all worn out, and this battery needs a complete and new outfit. There are 125 men in this company. Station, Camp Randolph, 5 miles from Saint Mark's, Fla.

On the 15th of January, Captain Griffin's company, Scott's battalion of cavalry, stationed near Newport, Fla., 5 miles from Camp Randolph: 59 men; no arms; men have their own horses and saddles.

Captain Gwynn, Major Scott's battalion of cavalry, stationed near Newport, Fla.: 73 men; arms just received; smooth-bore muskets, caliber .69, in very poor condition; most of the locks in very bad order - lock-bound,&c. General appearance of arms very bad, and will doubtless soon become unserviceable. The men have no cartridge-boxes to carry their ammunition in. Men have their own saddles generally; pretty fair ones.

Captain McElvey (no letter to company), Major Scott's battalion of cavalry, stationed near Newport: 67 men; arms just received; same condition as those of Captain Gwynn - very poor. This company is supplied with ammunition which is in good condition; they have also cartridge-boxes.

On the 14th were inspected the company of Captain Simmons, Company G, Second Florida Cavalry, armed with Maynard rifles and sabers; 71 men present; arms in good condition, well taken care of, but have only 5 rounds of ammunition. None of the companies armed with Maynard rifles are able to procure a supply of ammunition, owing to its peculiar character, requiring brass cylinders, which the ordnance officers state they cannot procure. Saddles fair. This company stationed at Camp Randolph, 5 miles form Saint Mark's, acts as support to Gamble's battery. The company of Captain Blocker, stationed at Punch Bowl, on Ocklockonee Bay, 12 miles from Camp Randolph, armed with Maynard rifles and sabers; only 4 or 5 rounds of ammunition, the difficulty of procuring it being the reason for not being properly provided.

On the 15th of January, I inspected the company of heavy artillery commanded by Captain Campbell, acting as a garrison to the battery of Saint Mark's, Fla.; 125 men; armed with British muskets, caliber .75, in good order; accouterments of leather and in good of ammunition for arms.

On the above date the battery at Saint Mark's, Fla., was inspected. This battery mounts five guns. The gun carriages are very inferior; four of the guns have been in casemate, but are being changed to barbette. There is no magazine at this battery, and the powder and ordnance stores are kept in a room in the same house that the garrison sleep in, which is, of course, very dangerous, and should be corrected as soon as possible.