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Headquarters, Department S. C., Ga., and Fla., Charleston, S. C., July 13th, 1863.
To his Excellency M. L. Bonham, etc., etc.:
Sir,—You are aware of the inability of the State authorities, under the operation of the law, to meet my requisitions for slave-labor, and you can readily trace some of the consequences in the events of the past week. However, is there no course by which the defects of the law can, to some extent, be repaired, even at this late day?

Believing that there must be a remedy in the patriotism and intelligence of the planters of South Carolina, I shall invoke your executive proclamation to them, in this exigent hour, to send their negroes, with spades and shovels, to this city, without an instant of delay or hesitation, to the extent of three thousand effective laborers. This can be but an inappreciable subtraction from the labor resources of the people at this or any time. Each negro should be provided with at least three days subsistence. The people of each district or neighborhood should select some overseer or manager for their negroes, who shall go and remain with them while they are employed.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,


On the 14th General Ripley received the following instructions, which were carried out without delay. They show the extreme vigilance exercised by the General Commanding, and how careful he was to prepare against any new movement of the enemy:

The General Commanding is of the belief that some of the mortars now in Fort Sumter may be transferred with advantage to Sullivan's Island, and wishes you to consider and give your views upon the matter.

A covered way should be made between Fort Moultrie and Battery Bee, carefully secured from enfilade from the sand-hills on east end of Sullivan's Island.

The gate-way in gorge of Fort Sumter must be closed, and an outlet arranged through one of the casemates in the southwest face.

It should be determined whether the gorge-wall of Fort Sumter may not be materially strengthened, by means of bales of cotton, with sand packed in the intervals, and all kept wet and incombustible by means of tubes and hose from the terre-plein.

Two 10-inch columbiads have been ordered here from Savannah.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

Thomas Jordan, Chief of Staff.

The reader is referred to the Appendix for other orders and instructions relating to this period of the defence of Charleston, which must be omitted from the text, notwithstanding their importance. Among them are—

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