The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-02-13

by the same route il marched hither, and could not
other points, where the fort ct Wstt's Point would
have no effect?
General Tottens views may be, and doubtless
are, very sound in the military aspect OF the case
according to the old standard and established max
inns and rules Of the art Of war, scientifically con-
Quoted; but we are constrained TO say that when
we recall General Ross memorable expedition to
the federal capital, in 1914, two hundred miles from
the sea inland leaving two cities in his rear one on
each flank, marching through populous coun
try; and when we reflect ON the dashing marches
OF our armies into the heart Of Mexico, under "Od
Zack and Scott in disregard of all those received
rules OF warfare, We have no hesitation in avowing
preferences for practical defences in aid of our
brave militia rather than theOretic ideas aud militia
~ maNims, however time-honored they may be.
In this point OF view we presume 1t is that Gov.
Floyd regards the defences suggested as worth the
comparative trifiing expense Of construction.
we reel competed to say, also, that we find il i'm
possible, with the present lights before u.s. to con-
cede any very great cogency to the arguments ad-
Vanced by Gen. Totten, that the fort proposed to be
erected at Sandy Hook Point will make the de-
fences of the outer harbor complete without the
additional and indeed most important fortress on
Coney Island, formerly suggested in the HERALD by
that eminent officer, Major Chase, whose resigna-
ton of his commission in the army is so generally
regretted We do not perceive how the fort at
Sandy Hook could prevent an army landing at
.iravesend Bay, inside Of Coney Island, when we
seven miles. As to this point of debarkation, the
argument used in reference to the fort at Willetts
Point is totally inapplcable; for, as Gen. Totten
admits, our troops could not, If the enemy landed
at Gravesend Bay, get in his rear. He says,
against an enemy landing in Grayesend Bay no
such manGuvre would be effectual account of
the shortness Of his line of march well as its d.
rection." Perhaps they might be enabled to do so
If favorable circumstances permitted them to be
crossed from Staten Island to Fort Hamilton; but
it is supposed that whilst the enemy was being
landed and was marching to Brooklyn, the forts at
the Narrows would be kept 80 busily employed
against the hostile naval forces as to prevent any
land diversion from these points; and it is not i'm
probable that Fort Hamilton would be itself invested
and attacked by the enemy in its rear.
In thus limiting our crude impressions we are
prepared to yield them readily to the mature judg
ment and experience of the veteran engineers at
tached to our army, on such subjects. We should
be gratiied if some of Them and especially if the
distinguished Professor of Engineering at the West
Point Academy, would give the public the benefit
OF his professional opinions, and the reasons for
them, on the specific points above noticed. They
could be made interesting by copious occurrences
to the standard military authorities of the Old
World, and to his own acquisitions OF military
knowledge, derived from his travels in Europe and
elsewhere. Their publication in the popular press
would be preferable to their being inhuned in the
Congressional documents and it is probable thew
would be of great service in dispelling the alarm
and want OF confidence and feeling of insecurity
now sought to be created.
AS to Lieut. Morton, we feel bound to inform him
and other engineers of the army that his proposed
defences are not entirely original with him, though
none the worse for that. He is certainly entitled
to credit for suggesting the readOption of the sys
tenn Of Washington and his military compatriot> of
the Revolutionary war; perhaps more than if they
were entirely new and wholly his own, and unsup-
ported by such high authority Bunkers Hill and
the works on Dorchester Heights, near Boston,
which constrained Gen. Gage to evacuate the city
in l777, were precisely similar to the proposed
"Morton Defences." Fort Washington on this
island, was similar earthwork and the terraces
of your garden Mr.. Editor, are formed by those
identical entertainments. The entire line Of works
stretching across the upper part of Manhattan
Island, from Fort Washington to the East river
were OF the same character, though in some in
stances eligible positions, where natural defences
of large rocks existed, were taken advantage of.
TOdtlbein, much bepufied as he has been as an
original genius was but copyist of Washington
and the able practical American engineers he had
with him in that war. Cheumara is another copyist
OF our Revolutionary engineers. Excepting Kos
cusko, IL is doubted if many of the European eng
neers who served in the Revolutionary Army were
of great service, especially as the military chest
was never replete with funds to build costly works
on large scale, or according to European models.
Mr. Morton also merits commentator for his
efforts to effect the adoption of an American sys-
tenn Of engineering and is right in his position,
that generally the lessons in the art of war and
fertilization most valuable to the American soldier
may be best learned from history and ex-
perience. We admire his persistence on this topic,
for he appears to meet all the assaults made upon
his suggestions and himself with logged obsti-
macy and endurance equal to that of Massena at
the siege of Genoa.
Our militia officers, our City Councils, and our
members of Congress, will act wisely to second the
patriotic recommendations of Secretary Floyd. If
site spectators do not grab too much at the APP
preparations, the money will be well laid out.
Placed in charge of volunteer uniformed
militia, the proposed fifteen redouts will become to
them means for the acquisition of practical mill
1rnr 1a1sr hat
case of war; Let us have the Morton Defences'
by all means