W. M. Maynadier to Jonn B. FLoyn, December 20, 1860

Hon. Jonn B. FLoyn, Secretary of War:

Sir: The inclosed telegram, purporting to be from Capt. J. G. Poster, the Engineer oflicer in charge of Fort Sumter, reached me last night, and gives the first information “to this office that. the forty old muskets had been issued to the captain. On the contrary, the previous correspondence on the subject indicates that the issue of these muskets has not been and will not be made, On the 3ist October last Colonel —_ informed you that the Engineer in charge of Fort Sumter had sugges the placing of a few small-arms in the hands of his workmen for the protection of the Government property there, and recommended that it should be done, provided that it met the concurrence of the commanding officer of the troops in Charleston Harbor. The recommendation

was approved, and Col. J. L. Gardner, then commanding at Charleston —

Harbor, was duly notified thereof and authorized to direct the issue ifit met his approval, and to report the wit to this office. He answered

under date of 5th November, 1860, and did not concur in the expedie

of the issue. His letter was submitted to you on the 8th November, ; “as with the remark by the Colonel of Ordnance that “it is probable the issue has not and will not be made without further orders.” No further orders have been given, and no report or other information on the subject has reached this oflice except the inclosed telegram. That is so indefinite (except as to the fact that Captain Foster has received the forty old muskets) as to be difficult to understand, and, consequently, to answer.* It does not state by whom the ” little talk a) about the issue was had, nor who asks Captain Foster to return the muskets. From all the indications I am doubtful about the genuineness of the dispatch. If answered at all I think the best reply will be: “If you don’t want the muskets, return them.”

Respectfully, your obedient servant,