contained in the metal.

Very early in the rebellion, an extensive establishment for the
manufacture of field artillery existed in New Orleans, which sent
out beautiful batteries. These batteries I saw in various parts of
the army. This factory was under the superintendence of Northern and
foreign mechanics. Memphis supplied some thirty-two and sixty-four
pounders, also a number of iron Parrott guns. These were cast in
the navy yard by the firm of Street & Hungerford. At Nashville,
Tennessee, the firm of T.M. Brennan & Co. turned out a large amount
of iron light artillery of every description; and shortly before
Nashville was evacuated, they perfected a fine machine for rifling
cannon, which I examined. They sent a spy North, who obtained, it
was said, at the Fort Pitt foundery the drawings and specifications
which enabled their workmen to put up this machine. This expensive,
and to them valuable machine, was removed to Atlanta, Georgia. In
escaping home I came through Nashville a few weeks since, and saw
about a dozen large cannon still lying at this foundery, which the
sudden flight of the Rebels from Nashville prevented them from
rifling or carrying away. All know that the Tredegar Iron Works in
Richmond, Virginia, is an extensive manufactory of guns of large
caliber. Indeed, every city of the South, having a foundery of any
size, boasts of furnishing some cannon.

Many of these guns were defective and even dangerous. One battery
from the Memphis foundery lost three guns in a month by bursting,
one of them at the battle of Belmont, November 7th. After the Rebel
reverses at Forts Henry and Donelson, and the retreat from Bowling
Green and Nashville, when General Beauregard took command of the
army of the Mississippi valley, he issued a call to the citizens for