Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-04-09


Ths Nambes sfBIen in Fort suater-The
Qubstisn of the Range Of the Ooiumeiad
Guns -Ptobnbiiify Of an Attack
i The Charleston Is. o. correspondent Of
the New York Tribune writes on The 90
inst,
How many men are there in Fort Sumtert /
Are there more than the original seventy
Has the garrison been REINFORCED within
the last month"; These are questions which
the rebels, with an air Of mystery, put to
each other when congregated 10 secret.
Strange or not, there are those who believe
that Major Anderson's garrison is now not
much less than 200 men, If not good many
more, and that the increase has been made
by introductions at night by means OF small
boats. There are several circumstances that
favor this idea. In the FIRST place, such
thing in expert hands has been practicable;
then there have been rumors of small boats
having been seen and heard on several occa-
sions: a large number of men are believed
IN have been seen on the walls of Fort Sum-
ter at various times of latej and last, though
not least, a great deal more work has been
done in the fort than it has seemed possible
for seventy men to accomplish.
The rebels have Just found out hat Major
Anderson has succeeded in elevating two
of his terrible ten.inch Oolumbisds so as to
| bear square on the Cummings Point battery.
In this important work he has been maten-
| ellv assisted by the timber which luckily
| foated in q raft down the bay, and came
| near enough to the fort to enable the men
| to secure it. Itwas just what of all things,
| next to fresh meat, was most wanted. There
is another question which the rebels occa-
sionally put TO each other, in tone and man
| ner Indicating grave doubts. 1t is; Can
| Major Anderson reach Charleston City with
sbSt or shell, or both, should he feel so dis.
nosed On this point there is a difference
| IF oninion. The rebels themselves confess
| that his ten.inch Columbiads have range
! of upward Of 5000 yards, httte less than
| the distance of Charleston from the fort.
The difference is not enough TO afford tho
ground of hardly any confidence, especially
Since it is known that at least some of the
most experienced officers in Fort Sumter
have said that Charleston can be shelled,
and that it would be just the thing to do, in
case the fort was attacked / will take this
I occasion to say that an officer of Major An
derson's garrison assured me that the guns
in Fort Sumter could play with disastrous
effect on the city, and he only hoped that,
should worst come to worst, he might prove
the correctness Of his opinion.
Ifit were understood that the moment an
aggressive act were committed against the
fort, Major Anderson would open on the city,
and that he had the means of making his
shots tell, there would be speedy letting
down of tone and style on the part of the
rebels. Why can not the Major manage to
get a "chance shot" into Charleston, as Gen
Beauregard did against Sumter2 Nothing
would so effectuslly give these fellows pause
as something like this.
1t is said that JEFF. Davis has authorized
the cutting off of Major Anderson's supplies
and that the design will be carried into effec
tomorrow. l confidently look next for {
hostile demonstration on the fort itself. L
can not be postponed much lopger, especially
should the Administration do any thing look
inc like turning the cold shoulder on tn
newborn Confederacy. The aoating-batter!
will be attempted to be brought into use
. though it is pretty certain that Major Anaer
, son would fire on it should an attempt b
have great confidence that the thing woul
= not stand long before the l20pound shot
q that would greet its advent in the water
anywhere within mile of the fort