Dear General: I enclose the within to you, being a letter from myself to General Lee, dated May 23d, and one from him in reply, dated May 29th, containing an order to General Pemberton relating to the defense of Charleston. It strikes me that the defense of Charleston is now of the last importance to the Confederacy, and in my very full interview yesterday, I took the liberty of urging that Fort Sumter was the key to the harbor and in fact was almost absolutely essential to enable the South to hold communication with the foreign world.... I am rejoiced to see you here again, as there is no general who could have been selected to whom South Carolina would look with more confidence for her defense than yourself. Our whole coast involves the most complicated difficulties in defense, and all the highest range of science in war is required to make that defense successful. Feeling the greatest confidence in your abilities, and well knowing that this position is well suited to your peculiar talents and scientific knowledge, it affords me the greatest pleasure to co-operate with you in anything that you may suggest, and to offer you all the resources of the State that I may be able to command.

After an inspection of the harbor defenses, and the lines and work on James island, General Beauregard reported the result of his examination in the following letter, of date October 3, 1862, addressed to Adjutant-General Cooper at Richmond:

Accompanied by Major-General Pemberton, Brigadier-General Jordan, my chief of staff, Colonel Gonzales, chief of artillery, and Lieut.-Col. George Lay, on a tour of inspection, under orders of the war department, on September 16th I proceeded to inspect the harbor defenses, beginning with four new sand batteries, in barbette, near the west end of Sullivan's island, bearing on and commanding the floating boom under construction across the channel thence to Fort Sumter. Those batteries are not finished, but two guns, 10-inch columbiads, were in position, one only being ready for service and the magazines not yet built. The boom is composed of railroad iron, strongly linked together with heavy iron links and bands, protected and buoyed by spars of timber of the same length with the bars of iron, and banded closely together with iron. The bars are suspended four feet under water, and the whole structure is anchored every sixth section with an anchor. About one-fourth of this boom is laid. I am informed that it has been tested by running against it a heavily-loaded vessel towed by a steamboat. This test it resisted, parting the towline, a 10-inch hawser. It was also proposed to lay another line about 100 yards in rear of that now under construction, if sufficient time is allowed and enough chains and anchors can be procured. In addition, a rope obstruction has been prepared to place in advance of the wooden and iron boom for the purpose of entangling the enemy's propellers while under fire of our heavy guns in the adjacent forts and batteries.

It is proper for me to notice that since my inspection the plan of the boom was found to be defective, at least in one particular; the great length of it made it unable to bear the pressure of the tide, and the boom parted in several places. This, it is hoped by the projector, may be remedied by breaking the continuous character of the barrier and laying it in sections, and on that plan it is now being carried on....

The armament of the four new sand batteries is to consist, as planned, of seven 10 and one 8 inch columbiad, and two 42-pounder rifle guns. Fort Sumter has thirty-eight heavy guns above the caliber of 32-pounders, and Fort Moultrie nine, bearing at once on the obstructions. There will be also two strong ironclad gunboats, each armed with four guns, to give important, indeed vital, assistance. These, I am advised, will be completed before the 15th instant, and could even now yield some aid in an emergency. I regard them as absolutely indispensable to the successful defense of the harbor. The Neck battery on Morris island [afterward Battery Wagner] was next visited, which was found incomplete, wanting at least two weeks' work to finish it according to plan, and needing a closed gorge to secure against surprise. It was erected to defend that approach to Fort Sumter. In addition, a few rifled guns ought to be placed to bear on the main channel.

Subsequently I visited a small work, Fort Ripley, now under construction in cribs in the bay, about midway between Fort Johnson and Castle Pinckney. It is nearly ready for its armament of five heavy guns in barbette, but must be protected outside to the high-water mark by rubbish before it can be relied on. A series of similar smaller works erected in the shallow water nearer to the mouth of the harbor would materially add to the strength of our defenses. I did not visit Castle Pinckney, the armament of which is nine 24-pounders and one 24-pounder rifled gun. I am well acquainted with this work, and regard it as nearly worthless at this juncture.

On the 17th of September, accompanied by Major-General Pemberton, I inspected the defensive lines on James island from the Wappoo to Mellichamp's, a distance of about 3 miles. These lines consist of a system of forts, redoubts, redans, cremailleres, not very properly arranged and located, with the exception of Fort Pemberton, on the Stono and some of the redoubts; and in my opinion a simpler system, one requiring a smaller force to hold and defend, might have been originally devised with advantage. However, this line ought to serve our purpose with a proper force of about 3 men for every 2 yards of development. Each redoubt and redan has at least one heavy gun in position. That part of the lines between Dill's creek and the Wappoo will be completed in two weeks. Fort Pemberton is a strong work, and has an armament of twenty guns of various calibers. There are two batteries on the Ashley river and the entrances of Dill's and Wappoo creeks, but for want of guns the works are without armaments, except the battery at Lawton's, which has four 32-pounders in position, which, however, are of little use against any probable attack.

On the 18th, accompanied as on the previous days, I inspected Forts Sumter and Moultrie, which were found in fine order and condition, considering the repairs in progress at the latter work. The armament of Moultrie consists of thirty-eight guns of various calibers, from 24-pounders to 8-inch columbiads, with a garrison of some 300 effective men. The armament of Sumter consists of seventy-nine guns of all calibers, from 32-pounders to 10-inch columbiads, and seven 10-inch mortars. It has a garrison of about 350 effective men. The barracks are being cut down to protect them from the fire of the enemy.... Battery Beauregard, across Sullivan's island, in advance of Fort Moultrie, to defend the approach from the east, is armed with five guns. The work at the eastern extremity of the island, placed to defend the interior approach by water to the rear and west of Long island, is a redoubt armed with eight guns (two 32-pounders and six small guns). I am informed by General Pemberton that all these works are sufficiently garrisoned.

My conclusions are as follows: That when the works contemplated and in progress for the defense of the harbor, especially when the obstructions and ironclad gunboats shall have been completed and are properly armed with guns of the heaviest caliber, the enemy's fleet will find it extremely difficult to penetrate sufficiently within the harbor to injure or reduce the city; but until these works are finished, armed as indicated, and properly garrisoned, the city cannot be regarded as protected.

Accompanied as on previous days, on the 19th of September I examined the works at Secessionville, which are irregular and of poor construction. A force of some 200 men was still at work increasing and strengthening them. The position is naturally strong, being surrounded by two marshes and a wide creek, except on one side [the front], where there is a very narrow strip of level ground, along which the abolitionists made their attack, which was a surprise, when they were defeated by one-fifth of their numbers. I do not see the necessity or advantage of holding in force this advanced position. A strong picket would be sufficient. The armament of this work consists of two 8-inch naval guns, one 18-pounder howitzer, six 32-pounders, one 32-pounder and two 24-pounder rifled guns, and two 10-inch mortars. All of which is respectfully submitted, etc.

This communication gives a clear view of the character of the defenses of Charleston in October, 1862, and shows also the activity and engineering skill of General Pemberton, under whose direction the works, for the most part, were prosecuted after the abandonment of Cole's island early in May. The position for the fort at Secessionville was originally selected by Col. Lewis M. Hatch of Charleston, whose practical knowledge of the waters and islands surrounding Charleston and patriotic zeal in planning for their defense made his services most valuable, especially at the beginning of the defensive work, when so very few military men in Charleston had made a study of the approaches by land and water to the city. The victory of the 16th of June bore ample testimony to the value of the exact spot on which Fort Lamar stood.

In July, Col. Johnson Hagood was promoted to brigadier-general, and the First regiment came under the command of Col. Thomas Glover. Early in August, Generals Drayton and Evans were sent from South Carolina to reinforce General Lee, in Virginia. These generals took with them the First regiment, Colonel Glover; the Fifteenth, Col. W. D. De Saussure; the Seventeenth, Col. (Governor) J. H. Means; the Eighteenth, Col. J. M. Gadberry; the Twenty-second, Col. Joseph Abney; the Twenty-third, Col. H. L. Benbow; Holcombe legion, Col. P. F. Stevens; Third battalion, Lieut.-Col. G. S. James, and Capt. R. Boyce's battery, all South Carolina organizations. Upon taking command, General Beauregard assigned Gen. S. R. Gist to command the First district, with headquarters at Charleston. This district embraced the coast from the North Carolina line to Rantowles creek, and included the islands touching the harbor. Col. R. F. Graham commanded on Morris island, Col. L. M. Keitt on Sullivan's island, Col. C. H. Stevens on James island, and Major Emanuel at Georgetown. Lieut.-Col. William Butler, First regular infantry, commanded at Fort Moultrie, and Maj. Alfred Rhett, of the First regular artillery, at Fort Sumter. Fort Pemberton on the Stono was commanded by Maj. J. J. Lucas, and the post of Secessionville by Lieutenant-Colonel Capers. General Gist had under his command 133 companies of all arms. In this enumeration by companies were included the following South Carolina regiments: First regular artillery, First regular infantry, First volunteer artillery, Twentieth, Twenty-first, Twenty-fourth and Twenty-fifth volunteers, ten companies each.

Brigadier-General Hagood, in charge of the Second military district, with headquarters at Adams' run, had in his command one regiment (the Sixteenth), Smith's and Nelson's battalions of infantry, two companies of cavalry, the Stono scouts, and two batteries (the Washington and Morrison artillery)—twenty-nine companies of all arms, all South Carolinians.

Col. W. S. Walker, commanding the Third military district, with headquarters at McPhersonville, had under his orders an aggregate of forty companies of all arms, as follows: Eleventh volunteers, First and Second battalions of sharpshooters, Third regiment of cavalry, First, Second and Sixth battalions of cavalry, Rutledge mounted riflemen, Charleston dragoons, Kirk's partisan rangers, Elliott's Beaufort artillery, Kavanaugh's Lafayette battery, all South Carolina commands, and Nelson's Virginia battery. The whole Confederate force in South Carolina upon General Beauregard's assuming command, September 24, 1862, amounted to 202 companies of all arms, and aggregated 12,544 officers and soldiers present for duty.

On October 22d, the battle of Old Pocotaligo was fought by Col. W. S. Walker, with a small force of infantry, dismounted cavalry, and sections from two batteries of artillery, amounting in all to 675 men and officers. On the same day the railroad and turnpike bridges crossing the Coosawhatchie were successfully defended by the Lafayette artillery, Lieut. L. F. Le Bleux commanding; a section of Elliott's Beaufort battery, Lieut. H. M. Stuart commanding, and Capt. B. F. Wyman's company of the Eleventh South Carolina infantry. These engagements will be described separately.

A Federal force of 4,448 of all arms, under the command of Brigadier-General Brannan, sailed from Hilton Head on the evening of October 21st in transports supported by gunboats, destined for Mackay's point, on Broad river, with orders from the Federal commanding general "to destroy the railroad and railroad bridges on the Charleston and Savannah line." Landing his forces at Mackay's point during the night of the 21st and on the early morning of the 22d, General Brannan marched with all of his troops except the Forty-eighth New York and two companies of engineers, immediately up the road leading to Old Pocotaligo. The force detached was sent by boat up the Broad, and thence up the Coosawhatchie to destroy the railroad bridge over the latter river, where the main column, in case of victory at Pocotaligo, should unite with it in tearing up the railroad on either hand, including the bridge over the Pocotaligo and Tulifinny rivers.

If General Brannan had succeeded, he would have cut very effectually the communication between Savannah and Charleston, captured the military stores at Coosawhatchie and Pocotaligo, and inflicted a serious blow to General Beauregard's line of defense. But his expedition signally failed, and he was defeated with brilliant success by Colonel Walker's troops at Old Pocotaligo and at Coosawhatchie bridge. Learning of his landing at Mackay's point and of his advance, Colonel Walker ordered by wire the artillery and infantry named above to repair to the bridge, and himself marched down the Mackay's point road, with all the force he could command, to meet General Brannan. Meanwhile, Col. C. J. Colcock, at Grahamville, commanding the Third South Carolina cavalry, dispatched Lieutenant-Colonel Johnson with five companies of his regiment, and Major Abney, with two companies of his battalion of sharpshooters, to march rapidly to Coosawhatchie and intercept the force which he had learned was moving up the river. These dispositions were effective, as the result showed.