Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1822-04-05

y ads iTonsh i.i part OF the State oil Alabama TO
me towns OF Mobile and Blakeey. The distance
between Dauphne Island and the Rigolc,s is 90
mhes. The principal islands between them are
! hhssacre, HON, Ship, ama Cat Islands, near to
winch there - anchorage for large ships of war
me hrsi object is 10 prevent the landing of any
force for the purposes above stated, betw the Ri
g0'es and The Bay Of Mobe--the second. TO defeat
! HAT force, in il should Le landed When the
Instance from one point To the Other IL considered,
ms heiieied that II would be impossible 10 establish
WoNs SO near 10 each other as 10 pre-, the landing
OF s"om force It's defeat, therefore, should he ef-
iect'ay provided for. IL the arrangement should
ne such ms TO make that result evident, i, might he
\ lriy concluded that the attempt would not he made
! aou mus We should accomplish ia the best mode
possible and with the least expense, the complete
security OF this important part of our Union, the
4 whole ~ ~
There are some other views Of this subject which
ms thought, viii merit particular attention in o.ci
u'ng the point IN question. Not being able To estuh
i,s"a cham Ut posts, at least for the present. along
tue whole coast from the Rgoleis To Dauphiue Is.
land, or on all the islands between them at which
point shall we begin? Should an attack on the civ
he anticipated 1t cannot be doubted that an ADEQUATE
iorce would Immediately be ordered there for its de-
ience- IL The enemy should despair of making AN
impress on on the works the town, it may be
presumed mat they would promptly decide 10 make
an a" amenlPt ia the manner and in the line abnve
sugSeSie between the Hsolets and the BAY of Mo.
que IL VIII he obvious that the nearer the fot t6ca-
uoh is erected TO Tie Rigoes, with view this oh
ec'' should be on Cat ar Ship Island, for example,
.ne w'aer would the passage he left open between
mat work and the Bay af Mobile, for such an enter
i"is, ne n'a'n army being drawn to New Orleans,
| woui1 ne ready to meet such attempt, near the
uooe.s, or NJ any other point not distant from the
cry NisprobahIe, therefore, that the enemy profit.
ing OF lar wind, would make his a,,emr, At the
SIea.est distance compaiille with his object, from
mat point, and NJ the Bay Of Mobile, should there
mol DE works there of stuff Gent STR. nnth TO preyen
IL. should, howe err, sirou- works erected there,
suc as were sufncien not only TO, their defence
| as"hst any attack which might be made on them,
oui To mold force connected with that which n,ioht
| nc Drawn from the ncighbormg country capable of
cooperating with the force the city and which
would doubtless he ordered TO those works in the
Eevent oil war; II would be dangerous for The. inya
uing force to land any where between the Rigole,s
ana the Bay OF Mobile, aud pass towards the Mis-.
| slssippi above the city, lest such a BODY might he
thrown ia its as TO cut off lis e,rc,, Thesn
considerations show the great adv antpe of establish
| ing at the mouth of the Bay of Mobile very strong
SEES suggested rN'rO
iofuhcations were necessary only to protect our
ana cues, against the entry Of large ships of
war INTO our bays and rivers they wonJ he r I;,le
use Tor The defence of New Orlenns since that civ
cannot be approached near, either bv the Miss,s-
pp' VI ~ any o'ier direction, by such vessels, for
," ' 10 'he an ai!ack on IT, In the Calf within
our iinS west OF Florida, which has bee acquired
since these works were decided on and commenced,
e'e Is no Day or river into which ii ge ships of war
CO" enter AS defence therefore against an attack
from such vessels extensive works would he aI,ope-
ln'.i unnecessary, either at Mobile Point or Dar.
rhhe island, since sleeps Of war only can navigate
lne urePest channel But il is for that purpose
"iohe that these works intended Ii is 10 provide
dSo against Il formidable INVASION both by land and
sea- ie oJeci oi which may he To shake the founda-
non OF our system. Should sUch small works he
Sert'o, ana such an invasion take place they would
e sure to fall at into the hands of The Invaders
and TO be turned against US
Whether the acquisition of Florida may be consi-
eeieu rs ailorting an nducemeai 10 make any chanue
ia the position strength of ,hesr works ;s a c;,
constance which also merits attention From The
view winch have taken Of the subject am of
IhDfi Ggl,,, 4
leans, and OF the river Alissssippi aoainsi = now
eriul invasion, being of the great objects of suc,
| extensive works. that Object would he essentially
abandoned, II they should he established eastward nj
the Bay CT Mobile since the force 10 he colec,e
| "a ueni would be placed al great n distance 10
al'"w .ne cooperation necessary for those purposes
e,ween ~ AND tha, at the city In addition to which,
| may pe observed, that, by carrying them TO PEN
| saeo'", or further TO the East, that Bay would fail
meaI'ey' IN case OF such invasion, into he hands
VI ,.e ohen'y' whereby such cooperation would he
rehuered utei ~ ahlpossibe, and the state of Alaba.
ma would also he left wholly unprotected.
WIN Wow TO such lorndal,e Invasion of which
we Shouo never lose sight, and of the great objects
10 winch II would be directed think that very strong
works. al some point within The Gulf Of Mexico will
| he found Indispensable. 1 think also that these
| WORKS ought TO be established ut the Bay Of Mobile
9ne AZ Moh'ie Point, and the other on Dauplline
| Island, whereby the enemy would he excluded aud
| 'he complete command of thar Bay, with all lhe
oVahiaS's attending it, be secured to ourselves In
! me case Oh such invasion, IL will, il is presumed he
deemed necessary to collect at some point o,bp,
than nj ~ Orleans strong force capable of moving
IN any dIeciion and afording aid 10 any part which
n! ne "'.'ched anu' IN my Judgment position
Ptsens 50 many advantages in point of rendezvous,
Tor such orce, as the mouth of that Bay Tie forti
hcat'on at The Rgoles will defend the entrance by
p que pI1sse 'n,o Lake ohartrain, and also into
eNi' hn'er, winch emplies uto the Gulf nc that
point Between the Rgolets and Mobile Bav there
| are ouL TWO inlets, which deserve the name those
" ~ aous aho rascagola, the entrance into which,
- TOO swallow, even for the smallest vessels and
from the Rigole,s to Mobile Bay the whole coast is
e'lu"ny shallow, aiordng the depth of few feet of
~aff only Cdt Island, which is nearest the Rigo-
le, IS about seven and half miles distant from lire
coast, and thirty from the Rgolets Shin Island ;s
distant aouat ten miles from Cat Island and twelve
itomthe coast. Between these Islands and the coas,
Inc Waller rs very shallow As 10 The precise den,I ~
wafer IN approaching those islands from the f,uf tbe
report OF the Typographical engineers moi baying ve
neeh received, II IS Impossible speak with preci-
, oIi "uE'nng II TO be SUCH us for frigaes aud
even shlps oi The line 10 enter, the anchorage AT
Dom IS unsafe, being much exposed TO north,yes,
Sn"s' along the coast therefore, there is no motive
,"' ouon ?s,ong WORKS ON our part town guard
no Iet INTO the country 10 defend and If placed on
me Islands, and the entrance to them is such as tn
ADMIT large ships Of war; distant as they are fro tic
| them with effect. ' " "
| Inc position, however, at Mobile Bav is essen,;
ally different. That hay takes lis name from The
m n iNeF, whoh IS formed by the junction Of The
alaohn' anu iombigJee, which extend each abou,
SO miles into the Inferior approaching n ,he;r ha,
waters, near the Tennessee river. If the enemy
possess" us mouth, and fortified Mobile Point and
Oaupnbe Island, being superior nj sea i; ,vonLI Io
dihcait for TO disposscss him of eiiher evsn r.
Mobile FONT and holding that position, Pensacola
wo.ia soon iali, as without mourning great expense
w INC construction OF works there, il world pre-
So"l w, feeble resistance strong force in ;is
rear. IL we had work Mobile Point only. The
enemy m'sht take Dauphine Island, which would
ano,o p'' ge" aId IN attacking the point and ena.
bIe hm, even should succeed i'm reuelng ,I,s a,
tacK 10 render US great mischief there and through.
oTl the Whole Gulf In every view which can be