recommended a work on the land side at Fort McHenry. Our fortifications, if you are aware, have been constructed to resist maritime attacks; not for defence against our own people. That work on the land side at Fort McHenry has not been constructed yet, but will be soon. It may be deferred now until spring. But Fort McHenry is very strong on the water side.

Question. How far do those fortifications about Baltimore command the city? Suppose a universal insurrectionary movement should be made in the city, how far would those fortifications command it?

Answer. The fort on Federal Hill controls the city perfectly; it is almost in the heart of the city. Particular districts might be singled out and assailed without injury to the other districts. That was impossible with Fort McHenry, although the city might have been shelled and set on fire, Question. You consider that fort as too far off?

Answer. Yes, sir. The fort on Federal Hill commands the railroad. The President street depot is very near the fort, immediately under its command. The railroad running through Pratt street, where the Massachusetts regiment was attacked, is also commanded by it. And the fort on Murray Hill commands about two miles of the railroad running from Baltimore to Philadelphia.

Question. How efficient would those fortifications be against a foreign enemy coming into the harbor?

Answer. They are a complete defence, I think.

Question. I believe you command down at Accomack and that region, on the Eastern Shore?

Answer. The expedition there was placed under my command. The movement was recommended by me on the 29th of July, six days after I took command at Baltimore; but it was not executed until November, I suppose, because the troops could not be conveniently spared. I recommended it repeatedly.

Question. What is the condition of things down there?

Answer. Very satisfactory.

Question. How is the Union sentiment down there?

Answer. It is very much improved, I think. All the officers who held positions under the State authority have, without exception, taken the oath of allegiance. Northampton county was a secession county. I think there was but one vote cast against Mr. Fisher, who was a member of the convention which voted Virginia out of the Union.

Question. Are we erecting fortifications down there?

Answer. No, sir. I think the force now on the eastern shore of Maryland and Virginia is between 2,500 and 3,000 men; but that force is distributed along shore, with a view to cut off commercial intercourse rather than to hold those counties.

Question. Who is in command there now?

Answer. Brigadier General Lockwood.

Question. We have read in the papers terrible accounts about his dealings with fugitives. Do you know anything about that?

Answer. I saw probably the article you allude to in the Chicago Tribune. It was sent to me marked. I am taking some pains now to ascertain the facts. I think I may state to the committee that there is very little truth in the statement. General Lockwood was accused of whipping slaves and sending them back, and recommending that slaves should be whipped the first time they ran away, and shot the next. I am confident there is no truth in that.

By Mr. Odell:

Question. You have stated that you recommended on the 29th of July an expedition in that country.

Answer. Yes, sir. And repeatedly afterwards.

Question. Did your recommendation meet with disfavor on the part of the government?

Answer. I think not. I think the postponement was owing to an unwillingness to spare troops from this quarter. I first recommended it to General Scott, who was then general-in-chief; I had no response from him. But, after General McClellan took the command, I think I had a pretty early response from him in favor of it, as soon as the troops could be spared.

Question. Would it not have been a great advantage to the Union cause for us to have earlier gone down to the Eastern Shore with this expedition?

Answer. I thought so, certainly.

By the chairman:

Question. Have you any means of knowing the strength of the enemy south of the Potomac here?

Answer. I have not the least, excepting reports from persons who have come in from Virginia, which, of course, are not altogether reliable.

Question. With regard to moving the army at this season of the year, would you think that would be advisable, or would there be, in your judg ment, insuperable objections to a strong demonstration, an attack, a campaign, against the enemy at this season?

Answer. I should be very unwilling to express an opinion upon that subject. I have not a full knowledge of all the circumstances which would influence a decision of the matter.

Question. I do not suppose it is very important, but still, as you are a military man of a great deal of experience, and have undoubtedly reflected a great deal about the matter, I wanted to get your opinion so that we might have all the light we could get.

By Mr. Covode:

Question. Could you move your own division at this time of the everything else was ready?

year, if

Answer. My division is ready to move in six hours. I mean the regiments which are embodied; a few are guarding railroads and are divided.

By Mr. Julian:

Question. Would the state of the weather or the condition of the roads prevent a movement?

Answer. Not within the limits of my command at all.

By the chairman:

Question. As near as I can ascertain, the weather as it is now would be favorable. But the difficulty, I suppose, is the uncertainty of the weather at this time of the year?

Answer. Yes, sir.

By Mr. Johnson:

Question. What number of troops do you think would be necessary to defend this side of the Potomac, occupying simply a defensive position? Rep. Com. 108-15

Answer. Well, sir, I should be very unwilling to express an opinion upon that subject. I have never been here at all. I have very little knowledge of the localities here. My attention has been entirely absorbed by my own command.

Question. Would the morals and discipline of the troops be improved by remaining in winter quarters between now and next spring?

Answer. I think their discipline might be, if their officers attend to their duty.

Question. As a general thing, according to your knowledge and observation, does not inactivity-remaining in quarters-have a tendency to demoralize troops?

Answer. It does unquestionably, unless they have very efficient and attentive officers; and I will add further that I think the condition of the troops I sent to Eastern Virginia are improved by that movement.

By Mr. Julian :

Question. Let me ask you what you do with fugitives coming into your lines?

Answer. My aim has been to keep fugitives out of my lines entirely; and for a double purpose. In the first place I did not wish to be called upon to send them back to their masters; and, in the second place, I did not wish my men to be charged with conniving at their escape. Therefore I gave directions on the 8th of August last, about 15 days after I took command, not to allow them to come into our encampments.

Question. And that is still your policy?

Answer. Yes, sir.

Question. You spoke about the qualifications of your subordinate officers. Is this military board a sufficient means to reform the evil of incompent officers?

Answer. Yes, sir; it is composed of very efficient officers, capable of judging of the qualifications of the men they examine.

Question. And you have resorted to that as a means of correcting any defect in that respect?

Answer. Yes, sir.

By the chairman:

Question. How do these Belgian and other foreign arms compare with our own in point of quality?

Answer. The Belgian arm is very poor indeed. The bore is large; it carries a very heavy ball. Those arms are very trying to the shoulder. And then those that I have seen are made of very poor material. The arms of our own manufacture are very good. I think the Springfield rifled musket is the very best arm in the world. The Enfield rifle is very much like the Springfield musket; varying very slightly in the bore; about of an inch less in the bore than ours.

By Mr. Covode :

23

Question. Taking the condition of the roads, the health, and discipline of the troops under your command into consideration, would they be in a better condition for moving next spring than now?

Answer. I do not know as they would. If it should be an open winter, so that we could exercise the troops out of doors, we could improve their discipline.

WASHINGTON, January 8, 1862.

General ERASMUS D. KEYES sworn and examined.

By the chairman:

Question. What is your rank and position in the army?

Answer. I am the colonel of the 11th regiment of regular infantry, and a brigadier general of volunteers. I command a division in the army of the Potomac at present.

Question. Where are your headquarters?

Answer. My headquarters, at present, are in this city. My division extends from Queen's farm, on this side, up to Great Falls. I have thirteen or fourteen forts under my charge.

Question. What number of men have you?

Answer. I had, yesterday morning, 9,770-nearly 10,000 for duty. I have on my rolls a little better than 11,000. Some are sick; some absent on furlough.

Question. What is the condition of your division as to health?

Answer. The condition of my division is that of extraordinary health; that is, there being less than six per cent. on the sick report. I do not think more than five per cent. of my men are ill, and not more than three per cent. are absolutely unfit for duty.

Question. What can you say of your troops as to discipline?

Answer. The discipline of nearly all my regiments is excellent. I should say that in the case of one regiment it is not good; in the case of another it is indifferent; in regard to all the others it is good.

Question. How is it about your under officers, the company officers, &c.; are they efficient?

Answer. I find a variety. There is a great improvement, but still a great deal of improvement to be expected. I find that want of excellence which results from the fact that the distinction between the officers and men have not been fully recognized as it is in the regular army. But I think there is a great, very great, improvement in the obedience to orders, which, of course, constitutes the main distinction between the officers and men.

Question. You have the charge of the fortifications on this side of the river, I understand you?

Answer. I have the charge of several. I made a communication to the chief engineer the other day to learn the condition of all the forts, as my troops occupied the lines where those are. I have not yet received a definite reply. I have guards in nearly all of them, and in several I have men drilled in heavy guns. Where they are in, and drilled, I am ready to receive the enemy from any quarter; in others I am not ready.

Question. Do you consider these fortifications sufficiently garrisoned now? Answer. No, sir; they are not sufficiently garrisoned. Two or three of them are, but the majority are not. I have some unfinished, not formally delivered into my charge, and the subject of my communication made some ten days ago was to get definite information upon that point. I should, of course, if the enemy was approaching, take the responsibility of going into

all of them.

Question. Would it be a good plan to school your men in the handling the guns in those fortifications?

Answer. I think it would be an excellent school.

Question. How long does it take a raw soldier to become an expert handler of those big guns?

Answer. I can make expert artillerists of heavy guns in a month-very

expert. But it requires great diligence, of course. I do not want an inexpert teacher, or an indolent teacher. But if I have intelligent men I will guarantee to make them in one month quite expert in handling heavy guns.

Question. So that if an attack was made just now you would not consider yourself in quite as good a condition as you might be placed in?

Answer. I am not ready.

Question. Is it not time to be ready?

Answer. In all matters committed definitely to my charge, I am.
Question. I understand that.

Answer. But I am not ready in the matter of those forts.

Question. I am not reflecting on your want of diligence at all; but I want to learn the state of security we are in.

Answer. I consider I could do a great deal if I were definitely informed what my business was with these forts. I should be much more ready to have the enemy come than I am now; for the reason that I am not definitely informed, nor am I definitely prepared for all the forts on the line occupied by my division. The system of defence is perfect. The line of defence is perfect; and, I think, perfectly defensive.

Question. Are you acquainted with the fortifications on the other side of the river?

Answer. To a certain extent I am. My brigade built the fort on Upton's Hill, and I am perfectly acquainted with Munson's Hill and that neighbor hood, where I was stationed three or four months.

Question. I want to ascertain your opinion, as a military man, as to what number of troops would be necessary now to defend this capital against the enemy, provided you did not contemplate any aggressive movement, but to act on the defensive entirely?

Answer. That question would involve, perhaps, more knowledge of the number of the enemy surrounding the capital than I have. Of course, the number of troops to guard the capital must depend in some measure upon the number of troops arrayed against it.

Question. I know you cannot be exactly definite; but I want you to give the result of your best judgment upon the facts you have.

Answer. I should say that, in view of the present state of things, I should want 75,000 well-disciplined troops to protect the capital on all sides.

Question. And to defend it against their getting around it anywhere? Answer. Yes, sir. I must have the forts all well manned and well occupied, and then movable columns placed in the most assailable positions. I consider this side much more assailable than the other side, for we have a line of forts and the river there.

Question. You think 75,000 men would make the capital perfectly secure? Answer. If they are thoroughly disciplined and officered I would. But I should require good troops, and well officered.

Question. Would troops to garrison these fortifications be sufficient with less discipline than those you would use in the field?

Answer. I think not. I think there are some men whose character makes them better fitted for garrison duty than others. I have seen a great difference in the disposition of men in companies. There is a class of men who are content to occupy themselves without wandering, and they are fitted for garrison duty. You could select good garrison soldiers out of each company, who would not make so good soldiers in the field. But in regard to discipline and obedience to orders, I think they should be as well disciplined as any soldiers in the field-perhaps more so.

Question. How do you estimate the difference between the efficiency of volunteers and regulars-in other words, is the material as good in the volunteers as it is in the regulars?