Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-05-13
TWen1y-fourth C0mgress--1st sess
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR.
(LnntinncI(

(Continucd)
What object would justify an enemy in attempting to
land an army upon our coast? He would not expect to
Inv waste the country for such mode Of warfare ID not
to be anticipated in the present state OF society All
that under the most favorable circumstances he could
accomplish, would be to gain sudden possession OF
town and levy contributions or to destroy naval e.
tabshment commercial or military, and Prcclpitateiy
retire his ships before his operations could be
ed or his retreat intercepted cannot therefore, con-
cur in the suggestion made in the Eng report that
the first of the three great objects to be attained by the
forticatons of the first class should be- to prevent an
enemy from forming permanent or even mo,ncntory
establishment in the country 1t is not suited TO the
present and prospective stuution of the United States
understand the establishments herein contemplated
not the temporary occupation of naval arsenas and cities
for the purpose Of destruction plumber because these
objects specially enumerated, but are Judgments,
where armies may be stationed, and whence they may
issue to commit inroads into the country.
REFER in these remarks, TO maritime coast gene
rally There are, doubt certain points less equal to
sefdeence than Others and where The preparation mss
be greater Of this class is the delta Of the hlssssp
only in consequence Of its avenues OF hpproaen
but because its great natural highway does not al pre-
sent allow those aeral supplies of the PERSONNEL Which
from ceorraphca formation and from the state OF the
settlements, can be speedily thrown upon most other
points of the county This region, however, 10 admi.
rably adapted 10 the Of steanbattees and they will
form it's principal means of defence.
To apply these remarks to the plan OF torslcations
partly completed and partly projected Fort Monroe.
at Old Point Comfort about sxtythree acres OF
ground and requires, by the estimates Of the Engineer
department. thousand seven hundred men to garrl
SON it in time of Its full armament consists Of 4l2
pieces of different descriptions and cabre have been
dcsrous Of comparing its superficial extent with some OF
the European orresses but the necessary information
could not be obtained within the short time that could be
allowed for the inquiry understand from General
Gratio however, that it is probably larger than almost
any of the single works in Europe which do not ncose
towns within their circuit. Drnkwater, in his History
of the Siege Of Gibraltar, states that 572 guns were
mounted upon that fortress
The object to be attained by Fort Monroe in conunc.
ton with Fort Calhoun intended to mount 232 guns
to prevent an enemy from entering Hampton Roads,
safe and convenient roadstead This object important,
because this bay is perfectly landocked and has su
cent depth of water for the largest vessels and wha
the capes Of the Chesapeake, that furnishes
the best station which enemy could occupy for annoy
ing commerce, and for committing depTedations up
the shores Of that extensive estuary But these works
do not command the entrance into the Chesupe
is Hampton Roads the only safe anchorage for hostile
fleet Their possession, therefore, does exclude all
enemy from these waters, though they will compel him
TO resort to less convenient positions from whence
~ on his enterprises hostile squadron reaching the
Chesapeake and finding the entrance into Hampton
Roads guarded by sufficient works, though much less
extensive than those at Fort Monroe, would necessa
ry consider whether the possession Of that roadstead
is so important justify the debarkaton Of large
body of land troops and to attempt TO carry the works
by regular approaches and this in the face Of the slrenu
Gus efforts which would be made to relieve it by ell the
ncation, and by the light and heavy steam batteries
which upon the approach Of war; would be launched
upon the Chesapeake, and which, during periods Of calm
in certain Winds could approach the hostile ships aud
drive them from their anchorage or compel them to
render and most Of which, from their druught Of wafer,
could take refuge in the inets that other armed vessels
could not enter And if the works carried they
could not be maintained without the most enormous
pense, nor in fact without efforts which no government
three thousand ues of could we'll make and all this while
Lynnhaven bay, York bay the Rappahannock, 1angier
island the mouth Of the Potomac and many other ola.
ces furnish secure anchorage, and positions from
excluded and while in fact grea, part of the Chess,
peake may be considered afardinp good ,ncbor,re
ground for large ships. Neither Of Them is equal to
Hampton Roads, but most, or all of them f;,r,,Sh ,
lions for occupation and observation which would rem
der it unnecessary to purchase the superior odysn,,oe
of Hampton Roads, by the sacrifice and hazard which
would attend the effort. The occuson of this roadsead
does not Norfolk, important it is from its COM
merce and navy yard. 1t only prevents the access of
ships of war to it. And against those there is an int.
rio. line of defence, which may be considered ac
ce,sory to- and if necessary independent Of the other
And land force dceming the destruction of the navy
yard at Norfolk sufficient object to justify such expe
ton would not sit down before Fort Monroe scale
of defence were far inferorto whit u.s. but would
debark at Lynnhayen bay, where there is imped-
.nent and march in Ave six hours through an open
country to Norfolk.
New York is in every point Of view, impor.
tnnt harbor its dences should provide for every ea
sonsblc contingency. The Engineer report recommends
three classes of works exterior for the pro.ec.
lion of the harbor interior shut up Raritan
bay; and third, to prevent hostile feet from ap-
preaching the city through the Sound, nearer than the
vicinity Of Throgs Point The importance of the FIRST
class cannot be doubted. That Of The second depends
on the value Of Rartan bay to an enemy as an an
ehorsgs ground and on the utility of excluding him
from . landing at GraveseDd bay, upon Long island,
whence an army could march, without obstruction, to
Brooklyn and New York The third Is proposed to be
LIZ II>1~ al.