and gate. The postern, communicating under parapet with ditch on the south curtain, half done. Timber cut, excavation finished, and work half done on scarp revetment of old portion of south curtain. Southwest bastion of old work removed. The ditch one-fourth extended around the old outwork.

At Ford Whittlesey the stockade was reduced about 15 inches, and the parapet in its front raised about 2 feet, thus placing the stockade under cover from the front. An abatis was formed at the southeast angle of the west part of the fort and the traverse thickened 8 feet.

An emplacement for field guns was excavated on the spur at the Ohio River bank, east of Fort Whittlesey.

At Battery Kearny a slight change was made in its westerly branch, to increase the field of fire of the 32-pounder gun there mounted.

At Battery Shaler an additional 32-pounder gun and a Parrott gun were provided for.

At John's Hill a battery of two 20-pounder Parrott guns was completed, except platforms.

Some repairs to pontoon bridge across the Lincking were made, and the covered military road leading from it up to Independence pike commenced. A redoubt established by yourself in the immediate front of Battery Kearny was staked out. Twelve implement [artillery] boxes and nine platforms for projectiles have been mad.

I made a thorough and detailed examination of that portion of the line east of the Licking, and all its approaches; selected sites for the two primary redoubts there; commenced detailed topographical surveys of those sites and a survey of the plateau [which may be termed a general survey of the line, sufficiently detailed and on a sufficiently large scale to permit the secondary redoubts and batteries, as well as all the connecting infantry defenses, whether parapets or trenches, to be plainly laid down] or ridge joining the two primary sites, including the sites of the redoubt selected by yourself in front of Battery Kearny. These surveys were commenced about the 26th [ultimo], and but little progress had been made at the end of the month.

PROPOSED OPERATIONS FOR AUGUST.

Fort Mitchel to be essentially finished, and the barbette guns on hand for that fort mounted.

The platforms at John's Hill to be completed. The covered military road from pontoon bridge, on Licking, to Independence pike to be completed. The detailed survey of sites of two primary works east of Licking to be completed. I hope also to be able to lay out and commence the one immediately in front of Battery Holt, and to lay out the one at Metcalf's. How far these primary and important redoubts are to be carried toward completion, without interruption, by the present force employed, will, I presume, be a matter for future consideration, depending doubtless upon the amount of funds available and the results of military operations in the field in the West. I propose, however, to place them in a state by which their traces will be thoroughly marked on the ground, at least, and so that, with the aid of the drawings, their completion as proposed can be proceeded with without a moment's delay and with the utmost rapidity on an approaching emergency becoming apparent.

The general survey of the line east of the Licking to be completed, and be committed to paper, so as to permit the laying down of the secondary artillery works, and the connecting infantry works to be proceeded with. These connections I propose so to lay down on the proposed map as to permit their being traced on the ground with all desirable certainty and rapidity, to be constructed [such as are not completed beforehand] under direction of the engineer officer in charge and his assistants, by citizen labor volunteering or impressed from the three cities. It may be deemed advisable to construct many of the most important beforehand with the present force employed.

The general survey of the line for west side of Licking to be commenced.

I should state that the general survey spoken of in this report includes only the immediate vicinity of the line-such ground as it is necessary to show in order to recognize from the map the positions on the ground of the works.

CAMP NELSON, NEAR MOUTH OF HICKMAN CREEK, AND STOCKADES ALONG KENTUCKY CENTRAL RAILROAD.

Captain O. M. Poe, chief engineer Twenty-third Army Corps, in charge, reports, July 31:

The intrenchments at Camp Nelson have been pushed forward as rapidly as the number of men at my disposal for work would admit. Fort Nelson has one face finished and the other in a defensible condition. Fort Jackson [occupying the site of