Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1822-05-04


Bile. 1t will be recollected that, in the
late war, the public solcitude was ex-
cited, not SO much by the danger which
+ menanced it, in those directions, as by
the apprehension that, while feint
might be made there, the main force,
landing either in the bay of Mobile or
other waters between that bay and the
, Rieolets, would be thrown above the
town, in the rear ofthe army which had
been collected there for its defence.
. Full confidence was entertained that that
gallant army, led by the gallant and able
chief who commanded it, would .repel
any attack to which it might be exposed
in front. But had such force been
thrown above the own, and a position
taken on the banks of the river, the dis
advantage to which our troops would
have been SUBJECTED attacked in front
and rear, as they might have been, may
easily be conceived, AS their supplies
would have been cut off, they could not
long have remained in the City, and,
Withdrawing from i, it must have fallen
Immediately into tile hands of the force
below. In ascending the river, TO at
tack the force above, the attack must
have been made to great disadvantage,
since it must have been, on such ground
and at such timeas the enemy preferred.
These considerations show, that de-
fences, other than such as are imme-
diately connected with the city, arc OF
great importance to its safety
An attempt to seize New Orleans and
the lower part of the Mississippi, will
be made only by a great power, or
combination of several PAYERS, with
strong naval and land force, the latter oil
which must be brought in transports
which may sail in shallow water IL
the defences around New Orleans arc
we'll posted and of sufficient strength to
repel any attack which may be made on
them, the city can be assailed only by
land force, which must pass in the d.
rection above suggested, between the
Rigolets and the Bay of Mobile. 1t
becomes, therefore, an object of high
importance to prevent such an obstacle
to such an attempt, as would defeat it,
should it be made. Fortltica,lons are
useful for the defence Of posts, to pre-
vent the approach to cities, and the pas
sage of rivers; but, as works. the ell
feet cannot be felt beyond the reach OF
their cannon. They are formidable, in
other respects. by the body ofmen with
in them, which may be removed and
| applied to other purposes.
Between the Rigole,s and the Bay OF
Mobile there is chain of Islands. at the
extremity of Which is Dauphine Island,
which forms, with Mobile Point, from
which it is distant about three and a
quarter miles, the entrance into the Bay
of Mobile, which leads through that
part of the State Of Alabama, to the
towns of sMnbiIe and Blakelcy. The
distance between Dauphine Island and
the Risolets is 80 miles. The principal
islands between them are Massacre,
Horn, Ship, and Cat islands, near to
which there is anchorage for large Ships
of war. The first object is to prevent
the landing of any force, for the pur-
poses above stated, between The Rigolets
|
defeat that force, in case it should be
landed. When the distance from one
poin, to the other is considered, it is be-
lieved that it would be impossible TO
establish works so near to each other as
to prevent the landing of such force.
Its defeat, therefore, should be eflectu-
ally proSidedfor. If the arrangement
should be such as to make that result
evident, it might be fairly concluded that
the attempt would not be made, and thus
we should accomplish, in the best mode
possible, and with the least expense,
the complete security oil this important
part of our Union, the great object of
our system OF defence for the whole.
| There are some other views of this
subject which, it is thought, will merit
particular attention in deciding the poin,
in question. Not being able to establish
a chain Of posts, at least for the present,
along the whole coast, from the Rigolets
to Dauphine Island, or on all the islands
, between them, at which point shall we
, begin? Should an attack on the city be
anticipated, it cannot be doubted that an
adequate force would Immediately be
) ordered there for its defence. If the
} enemy should despair ofmaking an i'm
. preston on the works near the town., it
; may be presumed that they would
, promptly decide to make an attempt, in
I the manner ard in the line above sug-
gested, between the Rigolets and the
. Bay of Mobile 1t will be obvious, that
, the nearer the fertilization is erected to
the Rigolets, with view to this object,
, should it be on Cat or Ship Island, for
: example, the wider would the passage
. he lcft LII Il, at ,uark aud Ii a