during the thirty-three hours of the conflict; but with steady gaze on the fleet, which was ranged outside the harbor, plainly visible to the naked eye, they were ready to resist any hostile demonstration and repulse the invader, whilst their brave comrades of the batteries were engaged in driving the enemy from his strong fortress in our harbor. Commendation from one like myself, entitled from my education and training to no military consideration, is only valuable because it is honest and sincere.

In this sense you will permit me, general, to thank you for the assistants which your wisdom and kindness assigned to aid me in my difficult and trying position. I am almost unwilling to distinguish between them, but the genius and the highest order of intellectual culture of Major Whiting, joined to his indefatigable and untiring energy, sleeplessly exercised both night and day, have entitled him at my hands to the most grateful eulogium.

Claiming no credit for myself, but only the desire to serve my country, I will urgently pray you, general, to pardon in myself all deficiencies which the newness of my situation and the suddenness of my assuming this post may have caused me to develop.

I have the honor to be, general, your obedient servant,

JAMES SIMONS,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Brigadier-General BEAUREGARD,

Commanding Provisional Forces, C. S., Charleston.

Numbers 11. Report of Lieutenant Colonel R. S. Ripley, South Carolina Army, commanding Artillery.

HEADQUARTERS ARTILLERY,
Sullivan's Island, Fort Moultrie, April 16, 1861.

MAJOR: I have the honor to report that on the evening of the 11th instant, at 9 1/2 o'clock, the batteries under my command were supplied and manned, the furnace heated, and all was ready for action either against a fleet or Fort Sumter. They were the following:

The five-gun battery, east of Curlew ground, under Captain Tupper, of the Vigilant Rifles.

The Maffitt channel battery, two guns, and mortar-battery Numbers 2, two 10-inch mortars, under Captain Butler, of the Infantry.

Fort Moultrie, which was my headquarters, thirty guns, under Captain W. R. Calhoun, of the Artillery, assistant commandant of batteries; First Lieuts. Thomas Wagner and Alfred Rhett, Artillery, commanding Channel and Sumter batteries.

Mortar-battery Numbers 1, two 10-inch mortars.

The enfilade battery, four guns, under Captain J. H . Hallonquist, Artillery, assistant commandant of batteries, and Lieutenants Flemming Artillery, and Valentine Infantry.

The Point battery, one 9-inch Dahlgren gun, and the floating battery, four guns, under Captain J. R. Hamilton and First Lieutenant Yates, of the artillery, and the Mount Pleasant battery, two 10-inch mortars, under Captain Robert Martin, of the infantry.

Of these three 8-inch columbiads, two 32-pounders, and six 24-pounders in Fort Moultrie; two 24-pounders and two 32-pounders in the enfilade