CHARLESTON, March 19, 1863.

Brigadier General THOMAS JORDAN,

Chief of Staff:

GENERAL: In obedience to orders received from the commanding general I have fitted out ten boats belonging to the Navy Department with spars and bracing gear complete. I have a so finished and tested fur of the torpedoes and prepared them for immediate use. These have been transferred to the Navy. I will most probably have three more finished by to-morrow, and the whole number, twelve, should be ready by the early part of next week. I have succeeded in getting a partial supply of glass tubes and other necessary material, and expect a further supply from Savannah on to-morrow.

On last night Commodore Ingraham permitted Lieutenant [William T.] Glassell with one small boat and a crew of seven men to go out. The enterprise failed in consequence of the boat getting aground in Drunken Dick Shoal. Lieutenant Glassell was in consequence compelled to cut away the gearing, but succeeded in bringing in with him the torpedo with all its attachments. As the inventor of the mode of attack, and consequently responsible in a greater degree than any other party for its successful operations, I would most respectfully protest against so unfair a test as the sending of a single boat unsupported against the fleet. The consequence of such an undertaking must almost certain be the destruction of the boat and the exposure of the plan.

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

FRANCIS D. LEE,

Captain, Engineers.

[Indorsement.]

The principal can be tested one small boat as well as with many together.

G. T. B.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF EAST FLORIDA,
Camp near Jacksonville, March 20, 1863.

Brigadier General THOMAS JORDAN,

Chief of Staff:

GENERAL: I have the honor to report that the enemy still occupy the town of Jacksonville. My command has been engaged in skirmishing with them constantly since their occupation, inflicting on them a considerable loss. The nature of the ground in rear of the town and the sweep of the enemy's fire from their gunboats over it, together with the inadequate result of compelling a merely temporary abandonment of the place by the enemy and then withdrawing for a new occupation by them, have induced me to withhold my troops from any great exposure.

The constant presence of five gunboats at Jacksonville, two of which carry a very heavy armament, and the great difficulty of getting my light field batteries in a position where the gunboats would be within reach of their effective fire before being exposed to a concentrated fire from all the enemy's heavy guns, have prevented me from making an attack on the town. I should not, however, have hesitated to attack and carry the place had there been any probability that the substantial result of holding it would be within reach of the means at my command. The heavy guns and the force necessary to do this I have not at my command, nor have I any assurance that I can obtain them, and I have considered it my duty, unless the enemy should remove a sufficient number of his