The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1854-09-15
The Capture of Romarsund.

u "" on NHd'leS 4Sdpler, ana Inc more ample de-
tails furnished by our own correspondents with
reference TO tho capture of the forts at Romarsund
have doubtless been read with the Gveliest interest
by ali classes of the public. A more gallant and
brilliant operation has seldom occurred. The
destruction OF one of the strongholds by which
Russia hopes 10 secure her dominion over the Bal
tic and her ascendancy over Sweden, has been
effected with a comparatively small loss of life,
and in the short space of three days from The
opening of the fire. English and French soldiers
and seamen, engineers and marines Of both ma
lions. have Joined heart and hand in this enterprise,
and we have doubt that the yigor of their at
tack, and the rapidly Of their triumph, are an
earnest OF what the allied armies and fleets will ef.
feet under circumstances Of greater difficulty, ard
against more determined resistance. In mill
tary point OF view many OF the details of this
operation deserve notice, because they are the
first practical experiment we have had of the
effect Of our guns and small arms in the at.
tack of places fortified OH the system Of the
Russian casemented batteries in the North of Eu-
rope.
The first point the Decentralization of the
troops, which took place on the morning of the
9th. The landing place chosen by the General
and the Admiral bay OF about three miles
in breadth, situated to the southwest OF the forts,
aud at distance OF $500 yards from the western
fort, which is that called Fort Tee. Russian
earthwork, carrying six guns, had been placed on
The eastern promontory Of this bay, facing the sea,
but this battery taken in flank and dsmounted
by the fire of the Amphion and Phlegelhon In
the meantime the Decentralization going on,
and II 900 men were landed in the boats Of the
fleet in the space Of three hours and half. The
Russian troops appear to have made no attempt
TO oppose the landing, though they might have
occasioned considerable annoyance 10 our men by
posting their rifles in woods the shore. The
British and French marines, 600 of each flag.
we're conveyed by the Driver TO the north of the
forts, and landed behind them. The next four
days were employed by the army in prepa ring for
the attack. The position OF The batteries
selected, sandbags and gabiuns were prepared, and
the sailors brought up, with great labor, some
81 FOUNDER ship guns, which were placed III a
position 500 yards from the round fort. On the
l Bib the fire Of the French battery opened from
the southwest on Fort Tee, and the bombardment
was sustained in the most brilliant manner for &c
hours, with one very short interval.
We are not informed at what range this fire
was opened, Ond the distance was probably greater
Than it would have been if the place had been APP
preached by regular siege operations. The most
remarkable fact is, however, that This French
battery consisted of only l6-pounders and
mOrtars, or, our own cores Ondeut states, OF
3 mortars and brass field pieces-a force quite
inadequate TO breach granite tower. Three CT
the enemy's guns were disInounted through the
mbrasarts and the fire OF the French Rifles on
these apertures was severe that the Russians
had difficulty in loading their guns, and suffered
most severely in consequence. This circumstance
is Of great importance, and accounts for the large
proportion OF the enemy killed and wounded In
Fort TZee. Eventually this part of the work was
taken by the French Chasseurs On the moruing Of
the l4Ih, by coup de main, the details Of which
will doubtless appear in the French dispatches.
Meanwhile the British battery, under the Command
oil General Jones, was 10 process Of construction
"a work OF greater time and difficulty, because
ii consisted of thirty FOUNDER guns dragged
up from the ships We not told 6y the Ad-
mil al OF how many guns this battery consisted,
nor IS It's position accurately described; 1t must,
however, have been on The northwest front of the
place, and within range Of both the round forts,
for, as The western fort had been taken before
General Jones opened his fire, he turned his guns
against the eastern fort with equal effect. This
battery was manned by marine arilllerymen from
the four block ships their practice excellent.
and in eight hours and half one side Of the tower
was knocked in. IL is not clearly stated, however,
by the Admiral, (whose despatch Is not remarka-
bic for military precison,) whether this result was
caused by the fire OF the thirty Two Founders or
by The explosion mentioned by correspondent;
but 1t appears, from subsequent passage in
letters, that practicable breach was made by the
guns, and that they three in number. The
effect Of the preaching batteries erected by Gene.
raj Baraguary d'l1illiers against the principal
fort was not tried, because the pade capuated
before The attack had been carried TO the last ex-
tremitcs, 10 fact, ii wholly untenable from
the moment that the round iortS commanding the
rear OF the position, in the hands OF the allied
armies.
The most obvious inference to be drawn from
the OF this ATTACK is, that the Russian forts,
if they generally constructed the same
principles and OF the same materials as those OF
cannot withstand for any heightened
lime close fire OF heavy guns, when those
guns are very few III number, and that the diff
Guilty of fighting in casemated batteries is greatly
now be directed with great precision into the en-
orasures. The fire of the ships at the long range
It which they were compelled to lie acted chiefly |
as diversion iii favor of The troops, and produced
10 decisive fleet on the forts; but it still remains
% be ascerlaned what would be the effect of the
OrOadsde OF a three decker a fort of this de- |
scrPtIon, and whether the results produced in eight
hours and half by three 32-pounder guns could
not be Produced IN half nOur by fire of
greater rapidly and OF twenty times that weight
d metal. No preaching battery that was
Is at all equal TO The fire Of line OF
battle ship; but on the other hand, land battery
IS far more protected from the fire of the enemy
and The question is whether a ship could fioa;
cries to silence and destroy them Ia the late
operations, although the ships were several times
n very critical positions, from running the