John G. Foster to R. E. DE Russy, November 24, 1860

Col. R. E. DE Russy, Commanding Corps of Engineers, U. 8S. A., Washington, D. 0.:

COLONEL: I have the honor to inform you that, yesterday, at the request of Major Anderson, now in command of Fort Moultrie, I accompanied him on a visit to the other forts in the harbor, viz, Fort Sumter and Castle Pinckney, for the purpose of examining their condition and capacities for defense. Fort Sumter, having all the arches of the second tier turhed, and a commencement made in laying the flagging; the

traverse cir cle of the first tier reset; the flagging inside of the circles, on —

one face, laid ready for the guns to be mounted ; preparations completed for mounting all the guns of this tier as fast as the flagging is laid; the floors in one barrack laid; officers’ quarters completed; the whole of the barbette tier ready for the armament, presented an excellent appearance of preparation and strength equal to seventy per cent. of its efliciency when finished.

In the opinion of Major Anderson it is ready for, and ought to receive,

ae at least one company, and I understand him to be about to ask for that garrison immediately. We next visited Castle Pinckney, which was found in excellent order, with the exception of some repairs required on the wooden banquette on the gorge, first tier, some new casemate embrasure shutters, and the second cistern to be rebuilt. All other parts of the work were in good order, as it had but recently been thoroughly repaired with the above exceptions. _ Major Anderson is about to urge upon the Department the sending of one company, also, to this fort, which commands the city of Charleston. In that ease I think the second cistern should be repaired at once, and also the necessary renewal given to the decayed wooden banquette, over the cisterns.on the gorge, and to the casemate shutters. I would, therefore, respectfully ask for the sum of six hundred dollars from the *’Con__ tingencies of fortifications” for this purpose. Regarding the shutters as necessary to be repaired atonce, I am, in anticipation of your approval, having it done at this time. There is another matter in connection with this work which Major Anderson suggested, and which may become important in view of the unsettled state of the public mind here, the temper of which seems not to be improving, and that is, to garrison Castle Pinckney with Engineer employés in case the Department does not consider it expedient to send troops for the purpose. At his request I have made an estimate of the cost, as follows : * * GUT WO IAT MONG san dos Wide ofdl dsl s oko Kaki daewabl loodis) Lk. 2b Uo sica cs $1, 600 ee taeda 3 eps hee ek sas ibs bec aeaehevi sighs. ve 1, 050 I consider it proper to give you the above information, in order that you may be fully aware of what is transpiring.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,