[December 19, 1860]
"I propose to connect a powerful Daniels battery with the magazine at Fort Sumter, by means of wires stretched across under water
from Fort Sumter to Fort Moultrie, and to blow up Fort Sumter if it is taken by an armed force, and after Lieutenant Snyder and my men have
time to escape from it.
I propose, also to use the same battery to fire small mines around Fort Moultrie, and to explode a large mine placed in the sand hills. All
of these last preparations may seem to be unnecessary, and I hope they may prove to be so in the end, but there are very strong probabilities
that they may be required, and, at any rate, I regard a complete state of preparations as the surest safeguard against attack.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
J. G. FOSTER
Captain, Engineers."
The state troops of South Carolina found out about these mines and this delayed the entry into Fort Moultrie when it was discovered Anderson had retreated to Fort Sumter. The fort was searched for explosives very carefully to make sure it was safe.
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David Upton