Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1861-01-17
rhe Nortn carolina Ford.


The following is description of the two United
States forts in North Carolina which have been seized
by the State troops. We copy from the New York
Herald.-BaLtamore Sun.
FORT MACON, BEAUFORT, N. c.
Fort Macon protects Beaufort N c., and IS situated on
bluff on Bogues bank and threeourths of mile from
having full sweep of fire on the main channel The oppo
SITE entrance to the harbor Shackeford bank and
half miles across. The fertilization is of hexagona FORM
mas two tiers of guns, in casemaed bomb proofs and
the other bdTbee Its armament consists of twenty
two twelve FOUNDERS three field
for thanking Defense twelve howzers eight eghnch
howzers theaVy) eight eight-inch howzers Qght)
thrteennch mortar three tennch mortars two Coehorn
mortars Total, eighty guns The war garrison of
the fort three hundred men, This fort however, sadly
IN need OF repairs the masonry requires pointing in many
places nearly all the iron work. such doors and window
fastenings One of the wooden bridges
across the ditch decayed also the shnged entire slope
of the covert The shot furnace is useless the store
rooms need renovation aud the roadway requires to have
It's embankment repaired and new bridge to be built
across the canal The wharf having its piers undermined
by the and its wooden supersucture much de-
caed requires to be rebuilt The fertilization cost the fed
eral government half million dollars.
FORT CAswELL, sMgTHvILLE, NC.
Fort Caswe is st-cass fertilization, of heXagonal
FORM built of massive Northern granite masonry having
two tiers of under bombproof easements and one tier
of guns bdrbee 1t situated the of Cape
Fear river two miles from Smthvle Its armament con-
of twelve thirty FOUNDERS twenty-five twenty four
FOUNDERS four eighteen FOUNDERS four twelve pounders
three field pieces for ankng defenses six flank howtzers
six eight inch howitzers heavy two telnch morars and
two Coehorn mortars-n all eghy-seven guns The work
is surrounded by bitches and advanced works
particular rstclass work 1t cost the federal gov
$57l OOO It's garrison consists of ACC
The work is generally in very good condition change
required in its armament that guns may be mount
ed upon the gorge of of the way
these portions bear directly upon the channel which
shifted from the east to the west shore New platforms
these will require to be The battery
Johnston mounting ten guns situated at smthVle with
magazine is auxiliary to Fort CasWell
The Sun is mistaken about these forts. Fort Macon
has not to cur knowledge been occupied at all. Fort
Caswe has not been occupied, strictly speaking, by
State troops but by citizens mainly of Brunswick coun
ty. That large sympathy with these citizens exists
throughout the State is certain, and it is also certain
that among those who may have thought the move
ment premature there is determination to sustain
them if necessary. Gov Ellis cannot, as Governor Of
the State while in the Union officially recognise the
cupation of these forts which is in truth under any view
of the far, only tresspass, the talk about
treason and all that to the contrary Notwithstanding
1t now appears from the correspondence between the
President and Secretary Thompson that the first dis
patch to the papers here stating that the Brooklyn had
been ordered cruise supposed destination Charles
ton, with renforcements for Fort Sumter strictly
correct also the telegraph stating that this order
Geographic reports which appear to be without author
ty strictly true at the time when SENT but strange
the state of things at Washington so wholly are the
authorities and Congress without policy that the
der of day pretty certain to be countermanded the
next. Somehow all orders leak out. We feel pretty
certain that it was designed that the Cutter Forward
under the command of Lieut. Nones should have slipped
down with force for Fort Caswel but the design was
given up when it could longer be executed secretly
and of course not without collision.