FORT MOULTRIE, S. C., December 20, 1860.
(Received A. G. O., December 24.)
Col. S. COOPER,
Adjutant-General:
COLONEL: I had the honor to receive and to answer, at half past 1 o’clock this morning, a telegram from the honorable Secretary of War, dated the 19th instant. Captain Foster has, I presume, reported to the Department his compliance with his order.
The ordinance of secession passed the South Carolina Convention to-day.
We are making good progress in our defensive works on the ramparts. Captain Foster finished to-day mounting the guns in the caponiere (or bastionettes), and [will] commence the other caponiere to-morrow. In my letter (No. 6) of December 6, I had the honor of stating my objections to commencing that work, and suggested that I thought it ought to be replaced by some work which could be built in a shorter time. No reply has been made to that suggestion, and Captain Foster says that as the project was approved by the Engineer Department and by the Secretary of War he does not feel authorized to make a change of the plan.
I regret this very much, for if an attack is made whilst that work is going on, our fort can be very easily carried. As I have stated before, I do not feel authorized to interfere with the operations of the Engineer Department.
Captain Foster informs me that Lieutenant Snyder is mounting guns at Fort Sumter as rapidly as possible. I have already given my reasons why I thought that ought not to be done, and have seen no reason for changing that opinion.
Hoping that events may take such a turn as soon to relieve me from the dangerous position my little command is now in,
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
ROBERT ANDERSON,
Major, First Artillery, Commanding.