Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1860-12-21
The Charleston Forts.

which are placed IN such imminen, peril by
the trcaehery or weakness Of the admins
, tra,ion--is Of momentous interc., at the
present time, We copy al length from the
{ Charleston correspondence Of the New York
: Tribune. description OF their position and
: strength:
. They are three in number. namely, Fort
z Moultrie, Fort Sumter. and Castle Pinck'
= ney. The frs, IL on Sullivan's Island, which
: IL principally within the corporate limits OF
the City Of Charleston. This island !. scp-
ara,ed from the main land by q narrow
channel which sometimes at low tide may
be fordod. though IL would 10 avery unmil.
i:ary thing Tor an attacking expedition to
rely on this method Of approach. i,.pre-
eisely here that the bridge spoken Of, a' is
now clearly fote-ccn. will be wanted, and
IL is said that the means Of supplying the
want. il in a considerable state Of forward.
ness. though the results thus Tar have no,
ben altogether satisfactory. Fort Moul.
tris - on the seward eide Of the island,
nearly mile distant from this channel, 80
that It's passage would he mcasunbly Z" in
the face Of an enemy" and directly -
lould the commanding officer cree, batter
ie, a, the poin, Of landing, which. however.
il not certain 10 ~ done. Sullivan's Island
Is quite thiekly bull, up, generally with
wooden iensmeuts. and horse railroad
,ravcrsss the whole di.tancc The Fort IL.
.alf !. an extensive york. well provided with
everything bot men. It's guns arr. many
Of them. Of the largest aud host description.
and nearly all the recent improvements in
explosive. have hccn introduced. in the use
Of which the men are we'll drilled. Indeed.
may state with confidence that the officers
and men a, Moultris very much eIcel m
this pArheulA-. Rcc,utly-within the last,
ten days-a trench ha. hem dug around the
entire Fort. and without going into minute
detail, IL will he enough 20 say that every.
thing !, bcins done necessary to place the
work in the be-, possible condition Of de-
fcnse. I, has recently received SIX months
provisions. What il wanting in men will
in a measure b. made up BY discipline and
completeness Of dei,h.dealing appointments
The distance between Fort MouIiric and
the city j. about three milo-.
Castle pinetncy stands in tho harbor
wholly surrounded nv water. whirh cAnno,
b. bridsel rcAiily between Moul,ric and the
city AMI can be operated upon only by hca.
w guns. Il mounts large number Of
heavy rgp- and has recently bccn very
much strengthened. In 1880. Gen. Scott
Jill much 20 strengthen this position. and
mos, Of the work. then aidei s,ill remain.
An engineering force Of limited number Of
mcu Tor the last two week. ha. been snga.
rci in rendering the ratification ono of a
really formidable character Like For,
Moul,ric. I, only want. men.
For, Suar,cr r,.e. on, Of the 'Sa,er fur
thor down the harbor. about three and a
halt mile- from the city. nearly ahrras, Of
and NJ, over one mile from Mouliris. II,
not only command. both the other forts.
bot 1t i believed, tho city could be cT-c.
tually shellci from Il. It's thor oughly APP
pointed with all tho larger drs 'rip,ion Of
guns. OuiWsrily Il resembles the round
yellow for; on Governors Island. though
larger. IL l. thoroughly bomb proof. and
believed % De imrrcsnAblo to anything
likely 20 bs brought to hear against it.
Though out =, sca. i, has Emo well Of
ire.h water. For s,ms time pas, upward
Of one hundred men, mostly mechanics.
have ben actively engaged in placing the
guns in order. The effect Of Capt. rorbcs'
ef1ri. ar, plainly visible. even to the un.
professional eye There have heretofore
been no more soldier. than wcro necessary
% act as keepers. Moderately well glrri.
.oncd, Sump,cr would prove an ugly cu.io.
mcr to Charleston and iis surroundings
should il ever come 90 that, One would
suppose that il would no, ~ difficult for men
when driven out OF Moultrie. II supplied
with boats, 90 pull over 70 Sumtsr. and in
very brief space Of time make il no, work
or the eap,or. in Mouline.
The United State, Arsenal is :, the wee,
side Of the city OF Charleston In il are
stored upward. or 20 600 stand. Of arms and
a corresponding amount 81 ammunition and
other appointments Of war. excepting largo
guns II il now guarded, nominally. by
military corp. Of Charleston. whose service.
the Government accepted TO protect u, from
the mob. |, vas an expert movement, a
peaceful capture. II will continue to 30
thus guarded I'LL the time arrives for max.
iug u.e Of the extensive military siore.housc
aeains, the Government, which in this. as
in many other things, has been ouiwitied
by the nullifers.
In order TO show the aHin,us:of the reo-
pie at Charleston, who thus very kindly
guard the United States Arsenal will
relate a single circumstance which | .ce has
laply been revived and made the subjcc, OF
dispatch from Washington. The com.
handing officer Of Fort Moulirio ordered
Capt. Seymour aud squad Of soldiers, in
citizens dress, TO proceed 10 the Arsenal for
several boxes Of light arms, and perhaps
some ammunition. which though be could do
without, be deemed best to send for. The
military storekeeper at the Arsenal had IS.
sued an order for the articles called for,
mos, Of them had been taken to the dock,
and the soldiers were engaged in placing
n them ON hoard Of the boat when n body Of