John G. Foster to Joseph G. Totten, January 31, 1861

General Jos. G. ToTTEN, Chief Engineer U. S, Army, Washington, D. C.: GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter — of the 28th instant, informing me that $15,000 was placed to my eredit with the assistant treasurer of the United States at New York. This relieves me from my present embarrassment. I shall, however, require $5,000 more for Fort Sumter by the end of the month of February. / The operations of the South Carolinians around us continue to be carried on with activity by means of a large force of negroes. The battery on Cummings Point, mentioned in my last letters, is being enlarged into a field work, the parapet of which is not sufficiently formed to distinguish the trace with accuracy. To the west of this field work they have commenced what appears to be a redoubt. This is quite near the western point of Cummings Point. Steamers are quite active, especially at night, in delivering materials at this point. A very large quantity of timber has been delivered, in rafts, and used for revetments, platforms, and, apparently, bomb-proof shelters. i On Sullivan’s Island I have learned that the battery in the cross street opposite Dr. Ravencl’s house, also opposite where the chaplain, Rev. Mr. Harris (now at Fort Washington), lived, is for mortars, apparently, as no embrasures are formed, but that neither guns or mortars are, as 7 yet, placed in it. The batteries on the island above Fort Moultrie are — ie aT ;

us wo in number. ‘The first is only a short distance above the Moultrie ‘House, and about 1,460 yards above Fort Moultrie. It is armed with three guns, either °24-pounders or 32pounders. It is not in sight of this fort, being in range of and beyond the Moultrie House. Its position is opposite that portion of the Maflitt Channel which comes closest to the island.

The second battery is at the upper or east end of the island, and is armed with two guns, 24 or 32 pounders.

The last information from the island gave the number of men there as _ 1,450. But of these a very large number are raw recruits for the regular regiment that they are forming. if In this fort we are hard at work perfecting the arrangements for defense and offense, and creating new ones. Three 10-inch columbiads

and four 8-inch columbiads (for which there are no carriages) are ar1. Tanged as mortars.

\ The women and children are to leave for New York to-morrow by steamer.

The authorities have promised to send over my private effects from Sullivan’s Island, but have declined to allow me, or any one sent by me, to go over to collect them and pack them. Iam, however, pleased to secure what I can in the way that is indicated by the authorities. I will ___-write again in detail as soon as I can determine the trace of the works on Cummings Point. ay

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,