The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-06-25

Of the guard regular troops OF the
artillery blue uniforms with brass buttops and
the shape OF two crossed cannons Captain Vogaes In.
med that Colonel Moore had sent or reply to my
me- 10 70 over the fort but that he would aow any
else, under any circumstances whatsoever 70 visit IT,
Ny fiends were therefore, constrained to stay outside
but OF them picked friend on the beach and got
up N impromptu ride along the Island
The way from the ety to the entrance Of the fort Is
In the universal deep Of this part Of the world the
dissnce Iom the landing place TO the eway not much
more than two hundred yards and the approach TO the
portal is quite unprotected. fhere is high ramp and
gacs the land sde bus the face and part OF the cur
tain in which the gate situate open, It was not
considered likely that it would ever DO attacked by
s 40 weak that men are now engaged in throwing up
extempore gacis to the base OF the wall and the
casemAes from fire. The ditch 70 very broad and the
scaTp and c0unterscaxp rveted with brckwok The
eurveSe has been cleared out and in doing az proc!
OF the agreeable character Of the locality observe
upwards Of sixty rattlenakes KILLED by the work
men An abatts has been made along ths edge Of this
part Of the dtcha rough inclined feure Of stakes and
boughs Of trees eyes, STR at TIN, when those ter.
rble hreeatpg gentlemen OF the other SIDE were f CT
hreats and coming to take the place every day. there
were only seventy In this fort, and lieutenant Se
were only for few minutes and 10 give hIs men breath
ing time TO use their small srms."
EFFECTIVE CHARACTER pEFEScEs.
Tho casemates here are all blinded, and the hospital
ia situate in the bomb proofs iaeioe. 1he gate was
closed at Ia ismanic knock 1t was opened and from
the external silence passed into scene full OF act.y
first a framework 70 the picture. The parade OF the
fort full Of men, and AZ coup d@I 1. obyiow
that great efforts had been made to prepare Fort PckDB
for desperate defence In the parade were several
tents Of what y called Sibeys pattern like our bell
tents, but without the lower side sal, and provided
with ventiating top, which can be elevated depress
cd at pleasure The parade ground has been jadcously
filed with deep holes like Inverted cones which shells
will be comparatively inrocuous; and, warned by SUra
ter every thing been removed which could prove in
the least degree combusiibe. The officer d1ty led
straight scroes TO the opposite angle Of The fort AS the
will be exposed 10 pungng fire from the opposite side,
very ingenious has been construc ed by placing
against the wall and prg them up with sand and earth
for several feet IN thickness passage IL thus left be-
tween the base of the wall and that Of the screen through
which man can walk with edae.
Turning into this passase, we entered lofty bomb
proof which the bedroom Of the commanding officer,
and passed through into The casemste which serves
his headquarters Colonel Harvey Brown received
with every expression Of poeness and courtesy. He ia
tall, spare scidierly locking man. With face Indicative
Of great resolution and energy as well % Of sgacy aud
Kindness and his attachment 70 tie Union was probably
Of the Of his removal from the Of
portant fort He has beer Icing In the SERVICE aud he
belonged to the FIRST class Of graduates who passed at
and very increasing he Proceeded to shoT
me the works. and we mounted upon the parapet accom-
panied by Captain Berry and went over all the deiences
Fort Pckcns has regular Fashioned trace In outline
oblique and rather narrow Aralelogra With the osdse
angles facing the at side and the land at the other
The acute angle which Inc bastion toward tho eneya
batteries situate, the weakest part Of the work but
It built for sea de:encs have already Observed
and the trace was prolonged 70 obtain the greatest amount
Of 1o On the sea approches The crest Of the parapet
covered with very solid aud well made merlons Of heavy
sand bags but face and the gorge Of the bescn are
exposed 70 IN enhadinf FIRE from Fort MR4e when the
Colonel said he Intended to guard against e rot tic
THE BArrRHs
All the guns seemed IN good order, the carriages being
well constructed but they are mostly Of what
BideYed email cabres a-dayg, being 80 FOUNDERS
with some 42pounders anu 2a.pounders There are
however, four heavy columbiads, which command the
struck that the bas,iJn guns were rather crowded
But even in its present siase the defensive preparations
three weeks TO do the immense amount OF work before
u.s. The brick copiDgs have been removed from the pa
rapets, and strong ssndbag traverses have been
holds at the bastions More heavy guns are expected
which, with the aid Of few more mor.ars will enable
the garrison bold tneir aganst everything but
alar siege On the auc side and 30 long as he feet
covers the narrow neck Of the leland with lie gus it is
not possible for the Confederates to effect odgmen II
Fort Acae were strong and heavily armed il could IN
nct great damIge on Pckens but 1t s neither one nor
the other, and the United States Off ers confident
thst they will speedily render 1t quite unteuaoe.
The bouche eu the fort may be put down at forty
including the available pieces IN the casem ates, which
sweep the ditch and The faces Of the curtains ms walls
places and the crest Of the parapets which the mer
or and rayerses rest of turf From the walls there
is splendid view OF the whole position Ind found my
companions were perfectly wen acquainted with the
strength and locus OF the greater part Of the enemys
works OF course held my pesoe, but was amused az
General Bragg "There s one Of their best hatts1ia,,
Just beside the lishthouse' The tall chimney Of the
Colonel called my attention 10 it. do you Tee that SIR
they casting shot there The soa reason for their
torbearance' is that navy yard They know full we'll
that they open gun upon Us Will lay til yard AMI
all tho woiH in runs." Captain vodges subsequently,
expressed some uneasness On point as 70 which
could have relieved his mind very efec.aally.
he had seen something which led him to appro-
bend that the confsderates had strong ptrauchd camp
in OF their WORKS. Thereupon was enabled 10 per-
C0ive VCdQ0g heYaw Was
tenton to land and carry the enemy's position. Why
oherwae did you about intrenchcd camp most
excellent engineer But NAV c you that there ia
no intrerched camp OF ALL and ths c2r vglant eye sir
merely detected certain worry ABSURD ts burrows which
sard in front Of their csnps which wsod cover msn
up to the knee or stomach, and qulte useless a.
b. eaatwMk Il they thought lAdias probable, ]. Is
objectionable in them to neglect such protection These
burrows a, quite straight and they are deepen
ed the aasaants have merely to march around them as
they extend for only some forty fifty yards and have
no tanks. The officers Of the garrison are aware the
enemy have no mortar batteries, but they think tho
inside Of the fort will not be easily ht and they said
nohrg TO show that they were acquainted With the posi-
ton Of the mortars
HsAITnNEss OF TIE FORT
From the parspet descended by staircase Into the
casemates. The Confederates greatly deceived IN
their expectation tina, the United States troops will be
much exposed to tho san or heat in Pckens More airy
well ventilated quarters cannot be imag ined and there
is quite Light enough to enable the to read in mos.
Of tbem The plague of flies will lnfest both armies and
is the curse Of every camp in GUNNER. AS to moequ.
toes, the Confederates will probably suffer il not more
at least much the United States troops be es,s
Of other tcrmehtoa such yellow fever and dysenery
VIII be in ali probability felt both aides but uness
The position OF The fort is peculiarly unhealthy the r1en
who are under no control in respect to their hbstons
will probably suffer than those who are restra ned
by discipline and restricted TO q regular allowance
Water can always be had by digging, and is TT to use i,
drunk Immediately. Vegetables and fresh provisions
Lot of course 30 easy had as on shore but there
scarcity Of them in both camps and the supplies from
The storeshps are very good and Certain. The bread
bas cd by the garrison s excellent mad oppors.
pity Of sscertaning for carried Of two loaves from the
bal ehouse on board our schooner.
SOLDIER LIKA APPEARANCE OF TIE MEN.
Our walk through the caeeinates YVES very inte,esne
They were crowded with men most Of whom were reai-
rg They were quiet, orderly looking soldiers mix
TIRE ot old and youDgsarcey equal in stature to their
oppon Dts but more TO be depended upon Ishoud ttns
10 long struggle Everything seemed well arranged
Those men who were in bei had mosquito curtans dswn
and were reading or sleeping at their In the case
mates used as hospital there only some twelve
men sck ont Of the whole garrison and W ls mucn
by the absence OF any foul smell aud by tie clean
ness and neatness OF oil the arrangements The Colonel
poke TO each of the men kindly and they appeared glad
10 see him The dspensary was neat elbow
could make It, and next door 10 IT, in strapro law