Henry J. Hunt to George Stoneman, July 29, 1861

Str: In conformity with your request, I transmit an informal statement of the present condition of the artillery south of the Potomac.

Fort Corcoran, above Arlington, with its two redoubts, has an armament of twelve 8-inch sea-coast howitzers, seven 24-pounder barbette guns, two 12-pounder field guns, and two 24-pounder howitzers. About two hundred light artillerists, under Captains Carlisle and Ayres, are at these works; also the German regiment (De Kalb), which has in its ranks many artillerists.

Fort Albany, on the Fairfax road, has eighteen guns, of various caliber (twelve being 24-pounders), Griffin’s and Edwards’ companies light artillery, and a Massachusetts regiment.

Fort Runyon, at the forks of the Alexandria and Fairfax roads (end of Long Bridge), one 30-pounder Parrott rifled gun, eight 8-inch seacoast howitzers, ten 32-pounders, and four 6-pounder field guns. Garrison—Colonel Rogers’ Twenty-fifth New York; artillery officer in charge—Captain Seymour, Fifth Artillery.

Fort Ellsworth, Alexandria, two 30-pounder and two 10-pounder Parrott rifles, twelve 8-inch sea-coast howitzers, four 24-pounder siege guns, one 24-pounder field howitzer, three 6-pounder guns. Garrison—Captain Arnold’s light company, one hundred and twenty men, and Seventeenth New York, Colonel Lansing.

The supply of ammunition for these forts, although not complete, is sufficient for an emergency, averaging about one hundred rounds per gun, and the amount is being increased as rapidly as possible.

The field batteries are in a very unsatisfactory condition, many of them, but as fast as the materials can be procured they are refitting.

Platt has four light 12-pounders, 107 men, in good condition ; Tidball has two 6-pounders, two 12-pounder howitzers, 127 men, in good condition; Greene has four Parrott 10-pounders, rifled, 130 men, in good condition ; Carlisle has 100 men, no guns; Arnold has 120 men, no guns;

Ayres has two 6-pounders, two 12-pounder howitzers, 120 men; Ed- ,

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wards has two 10-pounder Parrott guns, 75 men; Griffin has one 10pounder, rifled, 120 men.

Platt and Griffin are to have two additional light 12-pounders each. They will soon be ready for issue from the arsenal. There are five 10pounder rifles now preparing. Three will be given to Griffin and two to Tidball, and others are being prepared for issue. When the guns, howitzers, &c., are received, the batteries will be composed as follows: Platt, six light 12-pounders ; Tidball, Greene, and Ayres, four 10-pounder Parrotts and two 12-pounder howitzers each; Carlisle and Edwards, two 20-pounder Parrotts and two 24-pounder howitzers each; Griffin, four 10-pounder Parrotts and two light 12-pounders; Arnold, four 6pounder guns and two 12-pounder howitzers.

I further propose to equip Captain Bookwood’s company, of Von Steinwehr’s German regiment, with four 6-pounder guns and two 12pounder howitzers. Captain Bookwood brought off the Varian battery from the field—that is, the guns and one caisson—when that battery was abandoned by its company. His company has a number of German artillerists, and he can easily fill up with instructed men from the brigade of German regiments (Blenker’s) to which I propose the battery be attached.

The German regiments contain a number of artillery officers and soldiers. I suggested the propriety of placing, for the present at least, those regiments in the forts, that the guns may be served by drafts from the instructed men. One company, Captain Morozowicz’s, of the De Kalb regiment, is composed almost exclusively of old German artillery soldiers, and should there be a lack of field artillery, could readily be made available.

Respectfully, &c.,