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February 23, 1861 - Captain John Foster to General Joseph Totten

Click for full-sized scanned image Union Correspondence, etc. FORT SUMTER, S.C., February 23, 1861. General JOS. G. TOTTEN, Chief Engineer U.S. Army, Washington, D.C.: GENERAL: I have the honor to report that the work upon the batteries on Cummings Point was continued last night until 12 o'clock. This increased activity seemed to have been consequent upon the visit of some official of rank, probably Governor Pickens, to these batteries in the afternoon. Guns were fired from the batteries and from Fort Moultrie in considerable numbers about the same time that the steamers [arrived] bearing the person or persons who were visiting the batteries, and were either salutes of six and seven guns each or were merely practice firing. The principal work consists of that upon the battery that I reported yesterday as being in process of construction, and upon the erection of sheds of this form- which you perceive can be turned into bomb-proofs, covering them with earth. One of these, situated at the extreme western point of Cummings Point, is already up, and a sufficient number of rafts were towed there last night to construct two or three more. At Fort Moultrie a force of about fifty laborers is still at work embanking the glaces in front of the face towards us. Yesterday I completed placing the cheek irons for the embrasures in the recesses of the windows on the gorge, and to-day I shall charge the fougasses on the esplanade at the gorge, and then commence clearing the parade of rubbish. I have also to take down another temporary building to obtain fuel. I have a second one yet standing, that will furnish fuel as long as the provisions will last. The weather is very pleasant and warm. I received from the Department another roll of writing paper to-day, with two bundles of envelopes, one of large and the other of medium letter size. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, J.G. FOSTER, Captain, Engineers. (To view this page in its Source Category, click HERE)