firing the second day was better than that of the first. We succeeded in silencing for two hours Wheat's and the church batteries, Fort Barrancas, and all the guns on the front line of the enemy excepting one gun at the Fort McRee sand battery and the famous battery on the height between Fort Barrancas and the light-house battery. The flag-staffs at Forts McRee and Barrancas were shot away. The fire continued till dark, more than an hour after the Niagara had ceased firing. The effect of our fire on the 23rd was destructive; a portion of Warrington and the navy-yard was burned, either ignited from the hot shot fired from 32-pounders or the shells from 10-inch columbiads. The navy-yard was much damaged by the fire of our 10-inch, 12-inch, and 13-inch se-coast mortars.

Our loss during the bombardment was small, owing, doubtless, to the defensive arrangements of your chief engineer, Major Tower, in erecting the traverses to protect the guns en barbette, the shell-proofs, or covers for the men, &c.

Private Cooper, Company H, Sixth Regiment New York Volunteers, detailed to carry ammunition for the batteries, was mortally wounded, on the 22nd, while standing in one of the casemates, by a fragment of a shell, which exploded about the center of the fort. Corporal Beeler, Company L, First Artillery, was severely wounded by a fragment of shell whilst serving a 10-inch columbiad en barbette; his fore-arm has been amputated. Sergeant Massey, Privates Fitzsimmins and White were wounded slightly, and Corporal Moran and Privates Galbreth and Prucell severely-all of Company E, Third Infantry. Those men were wounded shiest serving an 8-inch columbiad in casemate by a 10-inch shell penetrating the embrasure, which disabled the carriage.

The fire from the enemy's batteries was heavy and well directed. There were many marvelous escapes from wounds. Among the most notable was that of Lieutenant Shipley, Third Infantry, and the detachment serving the 10-inch columbiad en barbette of his battery. A 10-inch shell struck the shell-proof and burst among his men and himself without wounding any one, although the sand and sand bags were knocked down over and around them. I will remark in this connection that I observed with admiration the gallant and efficient manner that Lieutenant Shipley commanded his battery the two days of the bombardment. My thanks are especially due to the officers serving with the batteries for the valuable services rendered by them and the cool and efficient manner they commanded their guns. They were as follows: Lieutenant McFarland, Engineer Corps; Captain Duryea and Lieutenants Closson, Jackson, and Taylor, First Artillery; Captains Allen, Robertson, and Lieutenant Pennington, Second Artillery; Lieutenant Seeley, Fourth Artillery; Captain Chalfin and Lieutenant Langdon, Fifth Artillery; Captain Hildt and Lieutenant Shipley, Third Infantry, and Captain Blunt, Twelfth Infantry. I take pleasure in stating that Major Tower, Engineer Corps, and Lieutenant Todd, Ordnance, performed the duties of their departments with ability.

I respectfully refer the colonel commanding to the report of commanders of batteries, herewith inclosed, for individual instances of good conduct and valuable services rendered by the enlisted men. As Private John D. Hickey, of Company C, Second Artillery, was detached from his company, acting as my orderly, I take this occasion to recommend him to notice for signal courage displayed during the bombardment. I am under obligations to Captain Henberer, Company H, and Captain Duffy's company (D), Sixth Regiment New York Volunteers,