tion should be given to the heavier guns, as on them principally the success of the defense must depend.

Officers and men of each command must be kept on the alert and instructed to go to battery at once upon an alarm, and especial care care must be taken that each battery is in readiness for instant action as the men arrive at their guns.

It is hoped and believed that most of these things are habitually attended to, but as constant vigilance is our only security, they cannot be too forcibly insisted upon.

Upon observing a disposition to attack on the part of the enemy, the nearest for or battery will give the alarm. By day, a shouted gun and dipping the flag will communicate the danger to the other fortifications and headquarters. All commands will go at to battery, and the circumstances of the alarm communicated to headquarters by telegraph or signal.

By night, a shouted gun and a rocket will give the intelligence.

In whatever way the attack is made by the enemy he is to be engaged as soon as possible to do so effectually with a few long range guns from every for that will bear. The number of these guns must be left to the discretion of the commanding officers, who must see that the fire is as accurate as possible. They must not engage too great a number, and be careful not unduly to excite their men or strain their guns and carriages. While the long-range fire is valuable, if accurate, to annoy the enemy and force him to develop his attack, it is not to be depended on for more.

Other things being, it will be well that the guns the leeward are first engaged. The remaining guns of the batteries will be trained by battery on different points where the enemy must pass, care being taken to have the fire of each battery concentrated. As the enemy approaches let the distance he will be in passing be accurately estimated by the distance buoys and the elevation made to correspond, making it too little rather than too great for direct fire. If the vessels are passing rapidly the guns should be discharges by battery just as the prows of the vessels come across the line of sight.

In the case of wooden vessels the object will be to him them near the water-line, just abaft the smoke-stack. In the case of iron-clad vessels, to hit the deck or the turrets at the intersection with the deck, and especially to let all the shots strike at once.

The first fire will be concentrated upon the leading vessels, and will be continued upon them as long as the guns by battery will bear well, vessels engage to draw off the attention of the outermost batteries and remain behind.

Should some of the vessels succeed in passing the action must then pass into the hands of commanding officers of batteries. They will pour in their fire as far as practicable by battery, and as fast as it can be done with accuracy on whatever vessels of the enemy may be nearest them.

The guns of the Beauregard Battery, Fort Moultrie, Battery Bee, and the eastern, northeastern, and northwestern faces of Fort Sumter will be used to form the first circle of fire to which the enemy must be subjected, the center being a little to the eastward of a line between the forts and midway. Every effort must be made to crush his vessels and repel his attack within this circle, and especially while he is entangled in the obstructions.

All the mortars of Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie will be trained on