John A. Dix to George W. Cullum, August 17, 1861

: Baltimore, Md., August 17, 1861. Col. G. W. CULLUM, Aide-de-Camp, Headquarters of the Army:

COLONEL: I inclose a map of the city of Baltimore, on which I have – marked the eminences we examined in our hasty reconnaissance of yesterday. I have numbered them in the order in which we visited them, and I have added the ascertained elevation of each. A few memoranda may fix more firmly in your mind what you wished to remember:

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1. Federal Hill, 83 feet 6 inches above mean high tide.—It is to be immediately intrenched by. order of the General-in.Chief in accordance with

the suggestions in my letter of the 12th instant. Next to Fort MeHenry it is the most important position in the harbor of Baltimore. It commands the railroad through Pratt street to the President-street depot, the entire basin, the whole lower part of the city, and in the hands of an enemy might be dangerous to Fort McHenry, from which it is 2 miles distant. The distance to Pratt street at the head of the basin is about 800 yards. S EEF

2. Pattersows Park, 124 feet 9 inches above mean high tide.—A commanding position, 2 miles from Fort McHenry, and would be very important if No. 3 (Potters Race Course) were not to be fortified. It is surrounded by a loyal population, and its present occupation is not as

necessary as that of No. 4 (the McKim mansion). A regiment has been: eneamped there until recently. It has been unoceupied since the 7th

instant, when the Sixth Wisconsin Regiment was ordered to Wash- –

ington. . 9. Potters Race Course, 180 feet above mean high tide.—A strong work

on this height is indispensable to the safety of Fort McHenry, which it commands, and from which it is less than 2 miles distant. It also commands Patterson’s Park, and is the only point, with the exception of the

latter and No. 4, from which the eighth ward, one of the most disloyal

in the city, can be assailed. It is to be immediately fortified by order –

of the General-in-Chief.

4. McKim’s Mansion, 119 feet 9 inches above mean high tide.—It is in the eighth ward, and commands that portion of the city as effectually as Federal Hill commands the lower portion and the basin. For controlling the population of the city and suppressing outbreaks this position is second only to the latter. It was occupied by the Fifth Wisconsin Regiment until the 7th instant, when that regiment was ordered to Washington. IfIhad a regiment to spare I should place it here in preference to Patterson’s Park. It has excellent and ample ground for battalion drill.

5. Steuartüs Mansion, Mount Clare, 184 feet T inches above mean high tide.—This position is important from its vicinity to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and the Mount Clare depot on that road, as well as from the relation it holds to the direction from which the eity is most likely to be assailed from without. It is occupied by the Fourth Pennsylvania Volunteers, numbering 823 men, and Nims’ Boston Light Artillery, numbering 156. The Second Maryland Regiment (six companies) is encamped on the line of the same railroad and in the same neighborhood with 579 men. I have therefore in this locality 1,558 men.

My force is disposed as follows: :

Fort McHenry, inside: Regulars, 194; outside: Third New York Volunteers, 795; Twenty-first Indiana Volunteers, 845. Total, 1,834.

Federal Hill: Fifth New York Volunteers, Colonel Duryea, 1,028.

Mount Clare: Fourth Pennsylvania, 823; Second Maryland, 579; Nims’ Light Artillery, 156. Total, 1,558.

Agricultural Ground, north of the city: Two companies of Pennsylvania Cavalry, unequipped, 213. Grand total, 4,633. –

My effective force is under 4,000. TI need three regiments more. The first I shall place at No. 3 (Potters Race Course) to work on the proposed intrenchments; the second at No. 4 (MeKim’s mansion) to take care of the eighth ward, and the third at No. 2 (Patterson’s Park) until

No. 3 is fortified. The home guard is in course of organizing in the —

city, and I think can be armed next week. It will number 850 men.

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We have nothing for them but flint-lock muskets or Hall’s breech- – loading rifles, also with flint locks. With this force I should feel safe

except from external attack. In case of an advance from the Potomae we should need to be strengthened in some proportion to the number of our assailants. –

I am, very respectfully, yours,