Rk. E. De Russy to John G. Foster, December 12, 1860

Capt. J. G. FOSTER, Corps of Engineers, Charleston, 8. C.:

Sir: In compliance with request communicated by your letter of the 8th instant, application has been made for $5,000, to be remitted to the assistant treasurer at Charleston, to be held subject to your check, and that amount will be charged to you on account of Fort Sumter.

The Secretary of the Treasury is, of course, fully informed as to the amount of funds in each of the Government depositories, and the Department cannot, therefore, with proper courtesy to him, urge a remittance to you on the ground that there are funds at Charleston while he, with the fullest knowledge of all the facts, and of other public wants, declines to draw on them.

A special application in your behalf for $1,800 from ” Contingencies of fortifications” has already been made at the Treasury, without other result than an assurance that that amount would be sent to you ‘if practicable,” and nothing more can now be done than issue the usual request for the $5,000 last asked for.

Congress, it is hoped, will very soon adopt some means of relief for the present condition of things, and no doubt is entertained that all demands upon the Treasury which are now in suspense will then be met with the least possible delay.

very respectfully, your obedient servant,