other volunteers, and will act, under your command, in connection with the ram fleet and in co-operation, with the Western gun- boats. It is believed that men best suited to this service can be recruited from the boatmen and river men on the Mississippi River and its tributaries. A mustering officer will be assigned by the War Department to assist you in mustering and organizing your brigade. You will select recruiting officers and submit their names for commission by the President. The brigade should be organized with all possible dispatch. From your known capacity and energy much will be expected of you in raising this brigade and its employment on the Western waters.

Very respectfully,

H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief.

ENGINEER DEPARTMENT,

Washington, November 11, 1862

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

SIR: I have the honor to present the following report upon the several branches of the public service committed to the charge of this department for the year ending the 30th of June, 1862:

MILITARY DEFENSES.

The grants made by Congress for fortifications at its last session amounted to $5,535,000 for permanent works and $750,000 for temporary works. These sums admitted of very material progress being made at most of the important forts now in process of construction. These have nearly all come under my observation during a recent tour of examination of our frontier defenses, and I am able to state that in these cases, and I believe in others, also, the officers and other persons in charge have applied themselves to their trusts with zeal and energy. Great progress has been made in some instances and material advancement in the others. That more has not been accomplished-all, indeed, that the intervening time would permit to the utmost energy and perseverance-is because of great difficulty in obtaining the materials most largely necessary. This has arisen from the demands made by the war upon the classes that supply labor to the quarries, stone-yards, &c., and also upon those engaged in freighting. The impediment is still a serious one, but everything possible will be done to lessen it. An account of the condition of each of these forts will now be given, derived mainly from the reports of the officers in charge.*

DISTRIBUTION OF ENGINEER OFFICERS AND TROOPS.

The preceding summary exhibits the stations and employment of a number of the officers of the Corps of Engineers, but in the present state of the country the large portion of these have necessarily been withdrawn from the labors of construction and called to active service in the field, either as engineers in their appropriate duties as staff officers and commanding the troops of their special arm of service, or as general officers and commanders of volunteer regiments.

An enumeration of the officers so employed at this time is subjoined; Major John G. Barnard, brigadier-general of volunteers; chief engineer

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*Detailed statements omitted.

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