In spite of all disappointments, however, the command never slackened in the performance of its appointed work. There were many problems to be solved, and of these the most perplexing was how to evolve an efficient defence from ridiculously inadequate materials. In his command on the North Shore Colonel Pfaff found himself confronted by a grave situation of affairs. To him had been entrusted the defence of five important points, among them four towns aggregating over eighty-five thousand inhabitants, and with property interests to be reckoned by tens of millions; and, to state unpleasant facts with relentless exactness, every modern and effective appliance for defensive operations had been denied him. Newburyport, Gloucester, Marblehead, and Salem were all liable to bombardment from the open sea, and the fire of heavy guns alone could give even a promise of immunity from that form of attack; but there were no heavy guns mounted at any of these points. Eight 3-inch, muzzle-loading rifles (type of 1862) had been brought to the coast by two of the militia light batteries, and these had been turned over to the volunteers relieving them, while sixteen Driggs-Schroeder rapid-fire guns, ranging in calibre from one-to six-pounders, hastily purchased by the State from its war emergency appropriation, also had been placed in the hands of the batteries of the First. Beyond these there was nothing in the way of ordnance—not a gun, not a round of ammunition was supplied by the general Government for these five posts to which it had seen fit to order artillery garrisons! After making a rapid study of the situation, it became apparent that serious resistance to anything like a resolute fleet attack could not be made, but it was confidently believed that, with the means at hand, at least three other forms of naval attack might be successfully parried. Dispositions accordingly were made to meet sudden descents by Spanish auxiliary cruisers, dashes into harbors by torpedo-boats, or any attempts at operations by landing parties; and it should be said here that nothing was left undone towards providing, with the material available, all possible protection to the points garrisoned by these volunteer batteries. FORT PICKERING AND THE "NORTH SHORE" DEFENSES XI.