degrees. The ends of traverses as they rise above the parapet are very ragged; still, all damage done to the earth-work can be readily repaired, it strength being about the same as before the bombardment. The damage done by the navy fire was, first, to the palisades, which were so injured as in most places to be little obstacle to assaulting troops; second, to guns and carriages. There were originally on the front twenty-one guns and three mortars. Of these, three-fourths were rendered unserviceable by injuries to either guns or carriage. The gun in the right bastion, the field pieces in front of the postern, and one or two mortars were used against the assaulting troops. There was a formidable system of torpedoes 200 yards in advance of this front, the torpedoes being about eighty feet apart, and each containing about 100 pounds of powder. They were connected with the fort by three sets of wires. Fortunately the set leading directly to those over which the army moved and the wire leading directly to those over which the navy column moved had been cut by shells, and no torpedo was exploded.

(2) Sea front.-This front consists of a series of batteries, mounting in all twenty-four heavy guns, the different batteries being connected by a strong infantry parapet, so as to form a continuous line. The same system of heavy traverses for the protection of the guns is used as on the land front, and these traverses are also generally bomb-roofed.

Captain M. Adams, Fourth New Hampshire Volunteers, and First Lieutenant T. H. Price, Fourth U. S. Colored Troops, commanding pioneer companies of Ames' and Paine's division, and First Lieutenant K. S. O'Keefe, commanding company of Fifteenth New York Volunteer Engineers, have, with their commands, been of great service in the construction of batteries and defensive works. First Lieutenant A. L. Knowlton, Fourth New Hampshire Volunteers, has rendered valuable assistance in making sketches of Fort Fisher, as also Private Schultze, Fifteenth New York Volunteer Engineers.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

C. B. COMSTOCK,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Brevet Brigadier-General and Chief Engineer.

Major A. TERRY,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

P. S.-It may be added that in thirty bomb-proofs and magazines and their passages there were 14,500 square feet of floor space, not including the main magazine, which was exploded, and whose dimensions are unknown.

C. B. C.

(Copy to General R. Delafield, Chief Engineer, U. S. Army, same date.)

HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES,
Fort Fisher, February 2, 1865.

SIR: An examination of some of the guns at Fort Fisher shows that the list of calibers on the plan of Fort Fisher forwarded to the department on the 27th ultimo was carelessly taken.* I inclose a more correct list of calibers, the numbering beginning at the left of the work and running round to the Mound Battery. I think that plan gave fire guns on

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*See Plate LXXXV, Map 2 of the Atlas.

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