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February 22, 1861 - Captain John Foster to General Joseph Totten

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Union Correspondence, etc.

FORT SUMTER, S.C., February 22, 1861.

General JOS. G. TOTTEN,
Chief Engineer U.S. Army, Washington, D.C.:

GENERAL: The work on the third breaching battery on Cummings Point has progressed so that the embrasures, three in number, are being commenced. Some work was also done on Fort Moultrie yesterday and the day before; at least it was commenced the day before. This consists of a parapet of earth in front of the scarp wall of the front that faces us, apparently intended to serve as a glaces, as it rises to the height of the cordon. It is reverted on the side next the scarp wall with barrels, and has a pretty steep slope upon the side towards us.

181 AOR001b.png

The parallelogram a b shows its position very nearly. This sketch in black[1] shows in a rough way the condition of the fort when we left it, being bordered on all sides but one with a shallow wet ditch and picket fence, which fence was again protected by a small glaces in front of it. The large glaces on the sea front was very nearly completed, and the second caponiere would have been completed and the guns mounted in four days.

This morning at sunrise a salute of thirteen guns was fired from Castle Pinckney. I understand that Major Anderson has ordered a salute to be fired at noon to-day.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J.G. FOSTER,
Captain of Engineers.

  1. In original sketch a b is drawn in red.



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