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February 26, 1861 - Captain John Foster to General Joseph Totten

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Union Correspondence, etc.

FORT SUMTER, S.C., February 26, 1861.

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

GENERAL: Very little appears to be done since yesterday, although quite a large force of laborers have been at work upon the third breaching battery and upon the curtain connecting the first and the second [the iron bomb-proof battery]. A second embrasure was formed in the third battery. The work upon the curtain has apparently for object to excavate the ditch deeper, throwing out all the sand that had blown in, and to make the parapet stronger. It will thus serve as an admirable position for a line of mortars. The work on the other batteries around us was hardly worthy of note yesterday.

The troops on Fort Moultrie practiced with ball to obtain the ranges of the channel and especially of that point in the main channel where it turns towards the city. The buoy on this side of the channel at this point is five eighths of a mile from us, in a direction a little south of east. The practice was excellent, all the shot striking the water nearly in the same spot; so it will be seen that the ranges are well understood now, and any vessel coming in must not expect to fare as well as the Star of the West.

The second fougasse on the gorge was charged, means for firing arranged, and the stone loaded upon it during the day yesterday.

I am to submit to-day to Major Anderson a written memorandum of the condition of the work and its capabilities to resist a bombardment, together with any additional preparations that I have to suggest. He also requires the same of Lieutenants Snyder and Meade.

I am now taking down a third temporary building to obtain fuel. there are two other buildings remaining, besides which are twelve gun carriages. I have a small quantity of new lumber reserved for emergencies. Our supplies and mails come from town as usual.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. G. FOSTER,
Captain of Engineers.

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