John G. Foster to Joseph G. Totten, April 4, 1861

General Jos. G. TOTTEN,

Chief Engineer U. S. Army y, Washington, D. C.: GENERAL: The permit for my men* to leave did not arrive yesterday, and I have put them at work again until it does arrive.

i Yesterday, at about 2 o’clock, the batteries on Morris Island commenced firing at a schooner that was entering the harbor when she was about up with the channel buoy (channel buoy No.3, Coast Survey Chart of

K 1858), or about one mile from this fort.

‘ The first shots were fired in front of her, and the subsequent ones

, directly at her. The schooner hoisted the American flag. After receiv____ ing a few shots she turned about to run out through the Swash Channel.

: After a few more shots she lowered the American flag, but stood on her

course until nearly or quite out of range of the guns of the batteries, when she came to and anchored. The batteries on Morris Island continned firing at her—at least, one of them did—until she anchored. _ Major Anderson sent a boat with Captain Seymour and Lieutenant Snyder to ask the reasons for the firing from the commanding officer on Morris Island, and also to obtain permission to board the vessel and ascertain her condition, object of visit, &e. The main points of the reports of these officers upon their return were, that the officer in command on Morris Island, Colonel Wilmot De Saus_ Sure, acted by orders from his Government, one of which was to force

a vessel to show her colors by firing across her bows, and another to

_ fire on any vessel attempting to enter with the American flag flying.

The vessel was ascertained to be the Rhoda H. Shannon, from Boston to Savannah, loaded w ae ice. She was a schooner of 180 tons burden. Her captain was an ignorant man, and, owing to thick weather and making a mistake in his reckoning, mistook this harbor for the one to which he was bound. He did not know what they wanted him to do.

_ None of the shots struck his vessel, and only one struck anything

about the vessel, and that passed through one of his sails, about two

less above the boom. more important information through Lieutenant Snyder of aan channel batteries than I possessed before

Don In the short time before this letter is to go Tean only say that all the

Sareea oe oS Pag Mite *Thirty discharged employés.

ra guns on the channel side, commencing with Ne, 4, inclusive, are en barbette, although well protected from our fire, and also from flank fire, by high traverses. From No. 4 to No. 7, inclusive, 17 guns were seen, apparently very heavy, most of them.

Capt. T. Talbot goes to Washington with dispatches. No supplies came from the city yesterday.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,