Thomas W. Sherman to Adjutant-General U. S. Army, November 27, 1861

Hilton Head, 8. 0., November 27, 1861. ADJUTANT-GENERAL U. S. ARMY, Washington, D. 0.:

SIR : For the want of an engineer officer (one being sick, one engaged on a reconnaissance on Saint Helena Sound, and the remaining one necessarily employed here) I went down to Tybee Island last evening, and this morning made a sufficient reconnaissance of that island as to ascertain its general topography and the range of the enemy’s guns on Fort Pulaski. I find it not impossible to reduce Pulaski from this island, though it will be a work of time. Mortar and breeching batteries may be constructed so as not to be very seriously annoyed by their guns. I find that their casemate guns will hardly range to the island, while their barbette guns will explode shells upon the island with certainty and considerable accuracy. A further reconnaissance will be made as soon as an engineer officer can be spared.

Not hearing from the Department to-day as to our future operations, (as the Bienville has just returned), I shall have to act from my own judgment alone, or be the cause of a delay in operations that will militate seriously to our disadvantage on account of the rapidity of time that must be made use of to avoid being caught by earliness of spring. In order, therefore, to meet the wants of the operations of this portion of the Army, I have to request that as much cavalry, not exceeding a regiment, ten regiments of infantry, and one regiment of regular artillery be sent here as soon as practicable. The steamboats, ferry-boats and small boats required were mentioned in my letters of the 17th and 21st. It would be of the greatest advantage in having a small force of regular infantry to leaven the mass of raw volunteers of which this command is composed.

I have also to call the attention of the Department to the proportions

* Bee capture of Fort Walker, &o., p. 5.

we are developing in these operations. Our coast is becoming more and more extended. The operations of the engineer, ordnance, and artillery departments are of the greatest importance. We have noi officers enough to manage them, particularly with raw troops, where every man must be instrueted to avail anything. I recommend that three more engineer officers, two ordnance officers, and several artillery officers be sent here at once. The want of direction among our raw hands, a direction which the few officers here cannot sufficiently give, is a serious cause of delay in everything we undertake to do. I also ask that an officer of the Quartermaster’s Department, of rank and great experience, be sent to control the operations of that department here. A good pontoon bridge would also be desirable here.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,