Ikvin McDowell to E.D. Townsend, June 14, 1861

Lieut. Col. E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant Adjutant-General, Headquarters of the Army:

COLONEL: I have received a letter from Maj. J. G. Barnard, Engineer, making suggestions concerning the defenses thrown up on this side of the Potomac. I have attended to these’so far as my resources enabled me. Speaking of the work on Shooter’s Hill, he says:

Having to use heavy guns on sea-coast carriages for this as well as for other works in progress, it will require at least a week, probably more, before such guns can be mounted; but there will also be eight field-guns (part of them rifled) in the armament. These could be pat in position in a couple of days, but they should not be sent to the ae until the matter of a guard or garrison is attended to and artillerists provided ‘or them.

With reference to the téte-de-pont at Long Bridge, he adds:

Arrangements must be made for moving and working these guns (twenty-three in all), The same may be said of the téte-de-pont at the Aqueduct.

I have made the above extracts for the purpose of saying that I am unable to comply with so much as relates to providing artillerists for manuing these works.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,