Dpb: Harris to Quincy A. Gillmore, July 5, 1863

GENERAL:

I have the honor to hand you the inclosed communications from Major Echols and Mr. Cheves, the former designed to

178 S. C. AND G. A. COASTS, AND IN MID. AND E. FLA. (Cup. X. L.

correct the erroneous impression produced by the ” memorandum of the number of steamboats turned over exclusively to the engineer department each day since the 1st of March 1863,” to which Brigadier-General Ripley refers in his communication of the 25th ultimo, and the latter to correct ” inaccuracies and implications” bearing on Mr. Cheves, both personally and officially, in the same communication, to both of which I respectfully invite the attention of the general commanding. General Ripley has not, as he asserts, received from me any plan, drawing, or description of works, or repairs of works, which are going on under the engineer corps within his command, and this assertion conveys to me the first intimation since my arrival here in October last that he desired me to do so, and I may therefore justly infer that he has heretofore attached no consequence to what he now considers a grievance. Moreover, I always communicated freely (verbally) with General Ripley, until his attack on my department in his letter of the 24th May, in regard to all the works in his district, in which he evinced to me he felt any interest, with the exception of the ”exterior protection _to the walls of Fort Sumter,” and I never had an intimation, by order or otherwise, that any other communication was desired, or deemed necessary for the public service.

Believing that all other points of General Ripley’s communication have been fully met and answered in the previous correspondence arising from his letter of the 24th May, I deem it unnecessary to again refer to them.

I have the honor to be, yours, very respectfully,