Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-12-27
F-.ra tie Cincinnati GaEetts.
Tbs Charleston Ferfs--A, RELIABLE STATE


/ Tbs Charleston Forrs-@A> Reliable State
ta iA4 menf.4
TThe following letter is fra-s q sy,t..aa that
| .ntitleq its sfateu,epts to implicit credit -
s14ordz iffs-EaaIlon in regard to the character
- copaition Of the Government torti6eatiOns
in Charleston harbor not before made public.
81. GAZETTE.
{ WAsHmeToS, Dec. %, 1860. .
As much anxiety is felt by the public in
relation to the defences and public property
ID Charleston harbOr, propose to give you
q statement that may be relied upon as un-
questionably correct. @
Forts Moultrie and Sumpter are situated on
opposite sides Of the entrance to Charleston
hsrboT, and completely cover and command
it. Fort Moultrie is on or adjacent to the
land, and dwelling houses and other build
ings are erected close up to the walls Of the
fort. IticOvers SO large surface that it can
not be successfully defended at all points by
a garrison Of less than three hundred men,
The present force in command Of the place
consists Of two companies OF infantry which
have not been recruited for three years, and
have been reduced BY death and expiration
of terms of service, TO sixty-three men besides
the band, who are not armed. They are
under the command Of Major Anderson,
gallant and loyal officer who viii doubtless
make the best defence of which the place i
capable. @
The adjacent buildings will furnish con-
cealment and protection for an attacking
force until they arrive at the walls Of the fort.
= Experienced military men, vel acquainted
with the position, say that a force Of two
hundreihnd fifty men, by an attack, skillfully
planned aud eKecuted, can take the place
with the present garrison, Withs loss offrom
three to I've men on the side Of the assail-
ants, and perhaps double that number of the
garrison.
But this is not the worst view Of the case.
Fort Sumpter is built IN the water, one thou
sand yards from the land. It can only be
attacked. therefore, from water craft. It is
Just finished, and is one of the strongest works
in ChristendOm; mounted with thity-two
pound eannon: and supplied with one hun
dred rounds Of ammunition for each gun. 1t
is covered, bomb proof, and can only be en-
tered by the embrasures, which an attacking
force must crawl through, one man at time,
and hence two men atOn Of these could de-
fend it against Eve hundred.
With a garrison Of one hundred and fifty
men, it could only be successfully attacked by
siege batteries and heavy ordnance, and then
could Withstand siege ofweeks, or, perhaps,
monthss al rsAI srr fl-.. .........
The guns Of this fort command Fort Moui-
trie, and could reduce it to a heap of ruins in
twenty-four hours. And, yet, in this place,
there is not a single bayonet or single SOL
L Is in the custody of an Engineer, With a
few iaborers, who have been engaged in
I.GJmtng the artillery. ASIA .4e-5
Twenty-Five men can take Fort Sumpter,
turn its batteries On Fort houlTie, and drive
or the garrison without the loss of a single
mAu on the part Of the attacking force.
The Charleston Arsenal contains fifteen
thou sand old nuskets that have been rihed
and provided with percussion locks, and two
thousand rifles.
This has been surrendered to the State
authorities, and is now in the possession and
under the control Of the sovereign and indie
pendent State Of South Carolina, which Is
now IN rebellion against the United States.
Whether this extraordinary state of things
IS the result Of imbecility or treason, the peO-
pie must determine. And there seems to be
no remedy for this state of things, that is not
worse IMAM tue Nlaed4e- Ia De bdiQ bnat the
Presidentought to be impeached, the answer
is, that if the House should present articles Of
Impeachment against bin, the Pendeney Of
them would not deprive him Of power whilst
he was on trial before the Senate.
Ana If the Senate, as it is now constituted,
should ultimately convict him, it is certain
that the proceedings would extend beyond
the exBiration Of his term VI Office.
And it is certain that the tendency Of such
a proceeding weuld greatly increase the
present excitement, which might otherwise
be avoided. = @ I -. .sdllI8 f'3EEET
THERE'S, theretork, probably no remedy for
the 5eSisEi1g 6Oudi6pn of -siings but patience,
nd Or 5iaefihes and 0utrsges such as have
rarely been inflicted upon a free people, until
time shall nd Us Of the incumbrance.
Yours Ec