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November 30, 1860 - Captain John Foster to Colonel René De Russy

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Union Correspondence, etc.

CHARLESTON, S.C.,
November 30, 1860.

Colonel R.E. DE RUSSY,
Commanding Corps of Engineers, U.S.A., Washington, D.C.:

COLONEL: I have the honor to acknowledge ether receipt of your letter of the 28th instant, and to request that the amount desired from the "Contingencies of fortifications" for the repairs of Castle Pinckney ($1,800), for one month, may be placed to my credit with the assistant treasurer of the United States at Charleston, S.C.

I have entered upon the preliminary arrangements for commencing work, and on Monday, the 3rd of December, shall place in Castle Pinckney the number of men authorized by the Department, with all the necessary arrangements for subsistence, lodging, &c., so that they may not leave the work until they are withdrawn.

Major Anderson, at my request, has kindly consented to detail an officer to assist me until en Engineer officer can be sent me for this purpose, for I regard it as necessary that an officer can be sent me for this purpose, for I regard it as necessary that an officer shall be constantly present at this work after the repairs are commenced. Lieutenant J. C. Davis is to be detailed, and is to report to me. I trust, however, that this temporary detail will no induce any delay in sending me another officer, as Major Anderson needs the services of all in his command. I shall endeavor to have the repairs promptly made, and to secure a proper protection to the property of the United States. In doing this it will be indispensable that I have the men instructed, to a certain extent, in the service, of the guns, and also in the manual of arm,s if I can arrange with Colonel Huger to have the requisite number of muskets sent from the arsenal. I shall also have Lieutenant G. W. Snyder take up his quarters in Fort Sumter, and give like instructions to about fifty picket men, in whom I can place reliance in case of an emergency.

I beg your to understand, however, that I do not regard all these arrangements as absolutely demanded by anything that now appears, but rather as a safe precaution in view of what may appear any day, if anything more exciting than usual occurs to stimulate the extremely rash persons among a community already sufficiently upon he subject of their State relations.

I think that more troops should have been sent here to guard the forts, and I believe that no serious demonstration on the part o the populace would have met such a course. But, as it is decided not to do this, and to rely instead upon the Engineer employs for protection of the public property, I shall do everything in my power to carry out this purpose. I shall, of curse, exercise the necessary amount of prudence, and avoid any appearance of aiming, as I conceive this to be the wish of the War Department.

Very respectfully and truly, your obedient servant,

J.G. FOSTER,
Captain Engineers.

[Indorsement.]



Colonel Cooper says this has been shown to the Secretary of War.

H.G.W. [WRIGHT.]
DECEMBER 6, 1860.

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