John G. Foster to R. Anderson, February 28, 1861

Maj. R. ANDERSON, First Artillery, Commanding Fort Sumter, Charleston, S. C.:

Sm: I acknowledge the receipt of your several communications, including No. 55, of the 25th instant. The Secretary of War directs me to send you the inclosed slip, and to say that the Peace Convention yesterday agreed upon the basis of a settlement of our political difficulties, which was reported to Congress. The Secretary entertains the hope that nothing will occur now of a hostile character.

Lam, sir, &c., 8. COOPER, Adjutant-General.

The Commissioners from the Southern Confederacy are expected to arrive here before the close of this week. They are accredited to the incoming adwinistration, and pending the efforts to negotiate, nothing will be done calculated to disturb the public peace.

Fort SuMTER, 8. C., February, 28, 1861.

General Jos. G. TorTen,

Chief Engineer U.S. Army, Washington, D. C.:

GENERAL: Yesterday and to-day being pleasant, the work upon the Cummings Point batteries has progressed well. The third battery for breaching is nearly completed, three embrasures being fully constructed _ and a fourth nearly so. Four 24-pounder guns were landed yesterday,

evidently to arm this battery. They were upon siege carriages.

‘ i at – » The work that I spoke of in my last letter as being commenced upon the middle of the curtain, connecting the first breaching battery and the second, has not sufliciently developed itself to be positive in its character, but it appears to be a large magazine and a battery for three or more guns. A considerable force is also at work on that portion of the field work looking towards Fort Moultrie and the channel, but I cannot see what is being done. I have no doubt that it is the construction of one or more embrasures, in addition to the one there before, to fire on the channel. The floating raft intended to be used to breach the walls of this fort was launched yesterday in town. I can see it with my glass. The iron does not appear to have been yet put upon the timber. If I am correct in this, it will require several days to prepare it for action.

Yesterday I was principally employed in demolishing the temporary building for fuel, removing materials, &c., of blacksmith shop to the casemates, clearing the parade, &e. :

Lhave strongly recommended the increasing of the present armament of the gorge (six 24-pounders) at onee, by means of the casemate earriages, so altered as to answer for barbette carriages, but the recommendation has not yet been acted on.

I did not write to the Department yesterday morning, having been closely employed until it was too late to do so before the mail closed.

Very respectfuily,

your obedient servant,