would suggest that more care be given to the cleanliness of both the room and bedding.

The adjutant's office and the manner of conducting it are very creditable to Lieutenant S. Cordes Boylston, the adjutant of Fort Sumter. he evidently understands his duties, and in my opinion performs them with great zeal and ability.

The company books as a general thing denote good management on the part of the company commanders. The company funds are now reduced to mere nominal items on account of the shortness of rations and of the impossibly to making any saving from them.

I was very much pleased with the order, the system, and business like manner with which the commissary department is attended to. Captain S. P. Ravenel deserves credit for the good administration displayed in the discharge of his duties.

The fort has now six months' provision, among which I would mention 27, 550 pounds of bacon, 32,900 pounds of pork, 446 barrels of flour, and a large supply of rice and meal. Beef is issued daily tot he garrison. The attention of Captain Ravenel was called to the necessity of regulating his issues according to a report to be furnished by the adjutant of the post. Funds on hand up to the 28th February, 1863, $3,454.12.

Captain Thomas M. Barker, assistant quartermaster, was absent when I mustered and inspected the garrison. I thought it best not to examine his books and accounts during his absence. I merely went through the quartermaster's store-room, which I found under the immediate charge of the quartermaster's sergeant, and which from all appearances indicates good management in that very important department.

Should the general commanding desire it, I will, on Captain Barke'rs return, make a separate inspection of his department and send in a special report of the same to headquarters.

The state of the weather on the day of inspection and the additional task of mustering the garrison, which I willingly performed in compliance with General Ripley's desire, prevented me from having the troops drilled before me, either as infantry or artillery, but I had seen them drill on several previous occasions, and I merely repeat what all others sa when I assert that no corps in our Army, expect perhaps the Fort Moultrie regiment, would compare with any advantage to the Fort Sumter garrison. The regularity and mechanical precision of their manual of arms is remarkable; their five hundred muskets, their thousand hands, move as if one musket only and one pair of hands were put in motion. In that respect and in many other regarding important details of the service the seven companies of the First South Carolina Artillery now at Fort Sumter have no rivals.

Respectfully submitted by

ALF. ROMAN,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Inspector General.

HDQRS. JAMES ISLAND AND SAINT ANDREW'S,
McLeod's, March 3, 1863.

Brigadier General R. S. RIPLEY,

Commanding First Military District:

GENERAL: In accordance with your written instructions of February 15, 1863, immediately upon assuming the command assigned me of