reserve 300-pounder can be at once mounted in its place. There are, with the exception of 30-pounder Parrotts, no reserve guns on hand at ordnance yard.

The following are the breaching guns in works at the front that bear on Fort Sumter, viz:

Fort Putnam, one 200-pounder Parrott, serviceable; two 30-pounder Parrotts, no projectiles.

Battery Chatfield, one 200-pounder Parrott, vent closed; one 100-pounder Parrott, vent closed.

Columbiad battery, two 100-pounder columbiads; no projectiles. This leaves only one breaching gun in works at front that can be used to-day on Fort Sumter.

Since July 21 the following number of projectiles have been fired at Fort Sumter, viz:

From Fort Putnam:

200-pounder shells.................................497

30-pounder shells...................................854

Battery Chatfield:

300-pounder shells..................................362

100-pounder shells..................................353

Battery Barton, 10-inch mortar shells...............557

Battery Seymour, 10-inch mortar shells..............392

Columbiad battery, 10-inch columbiad shells.........266

13-inch mortar battery, 13-inch mortar shells....... 52

300-pounder Parrott shells..........................362

200-pounder Parrott shells..........................479

100-pounder Parrott shells..........................353

30-pounder Parrott shells...........................854

13-inch mortar shells............................... 52

10-inch mortar shells...............................949

10-inch columbiad shells............................266

Total.............................................3,333

Very respectfully, sir, your obedient servant,

WM. AMES,

Lieutenant Colonel Third R. I. Arty., Chief of Artillery,

Northern District, Dept. of the South.

JACKSONVILLE, August 1, 1864.

Major-General FOSTER,

Commanding Department of the South:

GENERAL: Since asking the five regiments only, I have learned that their number for duty is much smaller than I had anticipated. My sick-list at Baldwin has also swelled. I would therefore request that you send one more regiment to me. I would prefer a black one, as nearly all my troops are colored.

Very truly, yours,

WM. BIRNEY,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF FLORIDA,
Jacksonville, August 1, 1864.

Colonel DOUBLEDAY,

Commanding Third U. S. Colored Troops:

COLONEL: General Birney directs you to proceed immediately with 300 men of your command to Camp Milton. The men will