[Inclosure.]

Memoranda of condition of fortification on Sullivan's Island, S. C., April 6 and 7, 1864.

BATTERY MARSHAL.

Number Description of Condition Direction and extent of

a gun and of field of fire.

carriage. carriage

and

equipment

s.

Northeastern

outwork. b

1 Vacant; for None. Northwest shore of Long

siege. Island and 60 degrees

west.

2 8-inch se-coast Good. Goat Island to southeast

howitzer; shore of Long Island.

barbette.

3 8-inch navy, 63 do.

cwt.; barbette.

4 do. do.

Northeast flank.

c

5 12-pounder Good.

smooth; siege

6 do.
Covers Beach Inlet

channel seaward, from

near shore of Long

Island.

Eastern battery.

d

7 8-inch sea-coast Fair. Covers Beach Inlet and

howitzer; channels north of Long

barbette. Island over outwork.

8 8-inch do. Covers Beach Inlet and

columbiad, 1857; fires south and seaward

barbette. about 180 degrees.

Southeast

curtain. e.

9 12-pounder Fair. Seward over channel.

rifle; siege.

10 do. Requires Do.

attention

Color battery. f

11 32-pounder Fair. From sea-shore of Long

rifle; barbette. Island seward about 180

degrees.

Southwest

battery. g

12 7-inch Brooke; Good. Seaward from Beach Inlet

barbette. south and west about 180

degrees.

13 18-pounder do. South and west seaward

Blakely; siege. and along the beach of

Sullivan's Island.

a The guns are numbered from the north of the northeast outwork in order around the work.

b The condition of the parapets, traverses, and embrasures is good; platforms are in order; shell room tolerably good. The gun chambers are confined and liable to an objection on that account, which I propose to notice more generally.

c It is understood that it is intended to place both the 12-pounders on siege carriages on the northeast flank in embrasures, one looking toward Long Island and the other seaward toward the mouth of the channel. I believe it will be necessary to advance the parapet of the northeasternmost by, say, 12 feet, to obtain a suitable field of fire, if it be desired to extend the merlon so as to furnish additional protection to the battery in the northeast outwork from a flank fire from the sea. This portion of the work is in fair order, but it would be well to substitute a continuation of the parapet a connect it with the eastern battery for the short palisading as at present.

d The eastern battery is in good condition. A traverse extends between the guns and to the rear of the chambers, confining the space exceedingly, and rendering them liable to objections such as are alluded to in remarks on the northeast outwork.

e From the eastern battery the curtain to the first traverse is without guns. The parapet and banquette are in bad order. The first wants repair and sods, the second to be finished. Traverses covering first gun from east in fair order. Parapet and banquette thence west to next traverse bad; required finishing and repair. The traverses for the second gun are bad; the new work is expected to join the curtain at this point. The gun is now dismounted he carriage being defective. From second gun to color battery the parapet is in bad order; would be well to dispense with a short palisade connecting with the battery.

f The parapets and slopes of the color battery are sadly out of order and require attention. The curtain from thence west to the southwest battery requires sodding. It has a platform for a siege gun not armed.

g The work at the southwest battery is in good condition generally. The gun is of great accuracy and range, but has been deemed defective and is fired with light shell. A greater quantity is required, only 67 being on hand. The Blakely gun wants heavily pressed junk wads to insure accuracy and range.

The guns in the work are principally supplied with ammunition according to orders and capacity. Some of the powder has been for some time in store and requires renewal.