K. Report of operations at the new custom-house, Charleston, South Carolina, for the month of December, 1860. SUPERINTENDENT'S OFFICE, NEW CUSTOM-HOUSE, Charleston, South Carolina, January 2, 1861. SIR The aggregate force employed on the work during the month of December has been 31 hands, exclusive of the officers, distributed as follows, viz: two stonemasons, four brickmasons, three carpenters, three blacksmiths, and eighteen laborers. Brick-work.-Four brickmasons, equal to 84 days, have laid in rotundo arch..... ... 2,000 Cut and rubbed 4,000 bricks for arches, and laid in walls of third story.. Total number of bricks laid....... 6,000 8,000 Stone-work.-Two stonemasons, equal to 44 days, have been cutting granite covers for man-holes in basement, cutting capitals for mantels, and attending marble saws. Smiths' work.-Three blacksmiths, equal to 66 days, have been making and repairing tools; used up 515 pounds of iron for tension bar of rotundo, and run steam-engine to saw marble. Carpentry. Three carpenters, equal to 65 days, have been making and putting up centres and scaffolds, repairing fences, and doing other jobs about the premises. Labor.-Twenty-eight laborers, equal to 413 days, have been attending the masons, smiths, and carpenters, painting iron-work in basement stowed away iron-work received, and excavated for foundation of western steps. The thermometer has ranged maximum from—to — in the shade and open air at 2 p. m. The probable operations for the month of January will cover the building with temporary board roofs, close up the openings of doors and windows, box up the marble, stow away the marble now lying on the premises, protect the machines, and take such measures as may be necessary to secure the papers, books, drawings, &c. Cash statement. On hand December 1, 1860.... Balance due the United States by former disbursing agent $171 90 91 98 79 92 All of which is respectfully submitted by your obedient servant, Hon. PHILIP F. THOMAS, EDWARD B. WHITE, Secretary of the Treasury, Washington City, D. C. L. OFFICE NEW CUSTOM-HOUSE, Charleston, South Carolina, January 8, 1861. SIR: I have the honor herewith to enclose copy of a letter written on the 1st instant; and in addition thereto I will state that I consider the first overseer as competent in all regards to take charge of the building, if the department desires to place it under the care of a responsible person. Mr. Paul Jones is the first overseer. On the 2d instant I sent to the department the report of operations for December, the estimate for January, and one copy of the unpaid contingent and pay rolls for December. I have the honor to be your obedient servant, Hon. PHILIP F. THOMAS, EDWARD B. WHITE, Superintendent and Architect. Secretary of the Treasury, Washington City, D. C. M. OFFICE NEW CUSTOM-HOTSE, Charleston, South Carolina, January 10, 1861. SIR I have the honor to submit to the department the general quarterly return for the quarter ending December 31, 1860. I have the honor to be your obedient servant, EDWARD B. WHITE, Secretary of the Treasury, Washington City, D. C. Communication and papers from the War Department, in response to call of committee of 12th January. WAR DEPARTMENT, January 29, 1861. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 12th instant, enclosing two resolutions of the House of Representatives directing your committee to inquire, among other things, into certain facts connected with the seizure of the forts, arsenals, and other property of the United States, and the removal of arms from the arsenals and armories. The information called for in the resolution offered by Mr. Leake, respecting the recent removal of arms from the arsenals and armories, is communicated in the accompanying report of the chief of ordnance, marked A. 84 In reply to the resolution offered by Mr. Howard, I have the honor to state as follows, numbering my answers to correspond with the numbers of the paragraphs in the resolution: 1. The enclosed report of the chief of ordnance, marked B, with its accompaniments, and the copies of despatches from Major Haskin, recently commanding at Baron Rouge barracks, and from Captain Elzey, recently in command of the Augusta arsenal, also enclosed, contain the only information in possession of this department relating to any demand for the surrender of any of the forts or arsenals, or any communication having reference to such surrender. 2. There is no information on the records of this department to show whether any officer of this government "has at any time entered into any pledge, agreement, or understanding, with any person or persons, not to send re-enforcements to the forts of the United States in the harbor of Charleston." 3. The information desired by your committee as to "what demand for re-enforcements of the said forts has been made, and for what reason such re-enforcements have not been furnished," cannot, consistently with the public interests, be communicated at this time. 4. The fourth paragraph relates exclusively to matters under the direction of the Navy Department. 5. All the particulars touching the seizure of the arsenal in the city of Charleston are contained in the report of the chief of ordnance above referred to, marked B. 6. The sixth paragraph relates exclusively to matters under the control of the Treasury Department. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Hon. WILLIAM A. HOWARD, J. HOLT, Secretary of War. Chairman Select Committee, House of Representatives. A. ORDNANCE OFFICE, SIR: In answer to a resolution of the House of Representatives of the 9th instant, as to "whether any of the arms of the United States at any of the arsenals or armories have recently been removed, or ordered to be removed, and if so, by whose order and for what reasons," I have to state that there have been no removals of arms since the one hundred and fifteen thousand (115,000) muskets and rifles which were ordered in January, 1860, from the armory at Springfield, Massachusetts, and the arsenals at Watertown, Massachusetts, and Watervliet, New York, to be deposited in the arsenals in North and South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Louisiana, other than to meet the regular requisitions of the army, the requisitions of the States for their yearly quotas, and such as have been sold, except the pieces of heavy ordnance ordered on the 22d ultimo from the Allegheny arsenal, near Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, viz: 21 10-inch and 21 8-inch columbiads, and 4 32-pounder guns ordered to Ship island, Mississippi, for a fort in course of construction there, and 23 10-inch and 48 8-inch columbiads, and 7 32-pounder guns, to Galveston harbor, Texas, for a fort to be constructed there, but the removal of which columbiads and guns was stopped by your order. The removal of the muskets and rifles, and the intended removal of the columbiads and guns, as well as the sale of the arms, was in obedience to orders from the Hon. John B. Floyd, late Secretary of War. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, H. K. CRAIG, Colonel of Ordnance. Hon. J. HOLT, Secretary of War. Captain Elzey to Colonel Cooper. AUGUSTA ARSENAL, Georgia, January 24, 1861. SIR: I have the honor to report that the arsenal was surrendered this morning to the governor of Georgia upon honorable terms, herewith enclosed. . I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Colonel S. CoOPER, ARNOLD ELZEY, Adjutant General United States Army, Washington, D. C. AUGUSTA ARSENAL, Georgia, January 24, 1861. His excellency the governor of Georgia having demanded the United States arsenal at Augusta, commanded by Captain Arnold Elzey, 2d artillery United States army, the following terms are agreed upon, to wit: 1st. The flag to be saluted and lowered by the United States troops. 2d. The company to be marched out with military honors, and to retain its arms and company property. 3d. The officers and soldiers to occupy quarters until removed beyond the limits of the State, and to have the use of the post transportation to and from the city and in the neighborhood, and the privilege of obtaining supplies from the city. 4th. The public property to be receipted for by the State authorities, and accounted for upon adjustment between the State of Georgia and the United States of America. 5th. The troops to have unobstructed passage through and out of the State by water to New York, via Savannah. JOSEPH E. BROWN, Governor and Commander-in-chief of the Army of the State of Georgia. ARNOLD ELZEY, Captain 2d Artillery, Commanding Augusta Arsenal. Major Haskin to Colonel Cooper. BATON ROUGE BARRACKS, Louisiana, January 11, 1861. COLONEL It is my painful duty to announce to you the surrender of the arsenal and barracks at this place to the governor of this State. The governor collected a large force in the city here yesterday, and at about 5 p. m. sent me, by his aides-de-camp, Colonels Bragg and Taylor, a summons, a copy of which I herewith enclose. Having no assurance of re-enforcements or support, I deemed it proper (after consulting with the officers here) to yield to the demand. I also enclose a copy of the paper signed this morning. I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Colonel S. COOPER, Brevet Major and Captain 1st Artillery. Adjutant General United States Army, Washington, D. C. P. S.-I telegraphed to you yesterday for orders, and shall take the first boat I can for Cairo without I receive contrary orders. J. A. HASKIN, Brevet Major and Captain 1st Artillery. EXECUTIVE OFFICE, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, January 10, 1861. SIR: The safety of the State of Louisiana demands that I take possession of all government property within her limits. You are therefore summoned hereby to deliver up the barracks, arsenal, and public property now under your command. With the large force at my disposal this demand will be enforced. The COMMANDING OFFICER, |