The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1861-02-01

Fort Sumter Is one Of the most powerful
military works In the United Statos. Itis
built on an artificial island, Immediately
within the mouth OF Charleston Ilay be.
tween Fort Moultrie and the site of old Fort
Johnson, Of Revolutionary memory. and
equi. distant from those points about throe-
fourtbs of one mile. The ship-channea
leading from tho sea 10 the city of Charles
ton Is between forts Sumter and MouItrie.
and is entirely commanded within half range
Of them. Betwoen forts Sumter and John.
son tho water is very shallow, only available
for vessels of very light draft, and then only
at high.wator. The artificial island or which
Fort Sumter is built is constructed of the
rcfuso from tho granite quaries Of New
England. Ton years was consumed in its
completion, at a coat Of half a million Of
dollars.
Tho fertilization is of pentagonal form,
built of solid brick masonry The walls ara
fifty feet in height and from eight to ten feet
in thickness, aud are pierced for three tiers
of guns, besides having necessary loop holes
for musketry and designed for an armament
| OF one hundred and forty pieces Of ordnance
OF all calbres. Two tiers of the guns arc
under bomb-proof case mates, and the third
or upper tier opon, or, in military parlanca
en- bGrbchc-the lower tier for forty two
pounder Paixban guns, tho second tier for
eight and ton inch Columbiads, for throwing
solid or hollow shot, and tho upper iior for
mortars and twenty.four pound guns. The
full armament Of tho fort, however, had not
arrived there WHOM Major Anderson took
possession, and it is fair, therefore, to sup-
pose all the available ordnance will DO
equitably distributed throughout, as iu-
diciousy as possible. 1t is thought that
with tho present armament Of the fort the
guns would DO capable of throwing six
thousand pounds of shot at each discharge.
In defensive or strategical point of Wow,
Fort Sumter radiates its fire through all the
channels from tho sea approach to Charles.
ton. and has full sweep of range in its rear.
or city sdo ample to repei any attack from
that quarter. The fort is sufficiently out of
range from a land artillery attack, so that
all apprehonsions for preaching it may be
put at rest. The maximum range Of the
guns from Sumter is three miles.
Fort Moultrie could not be held against
resolute attack for twenty four hours, but
Sumter, the strongest fort of its size in the
world, could only be taken by starving out
the garrison. II is conceded that it would
require continuous bombardment of six
months, with guns of the heaviest metal. to
destroy Fort Sumter, and then it could only
be done.if at all,b chipping off the masonry
piece by piece. This fort, moreover, com.
mands tho entire city and habor of
Charleston. as well as Fort Moultric itself
boing built on an island in the middle Of the
channel, it can easily be relieved from the
sea.
1t can only be entered by an enemy By
tho ombrasuros, which an attacking force
must crawl through, one man at o time, and
tvn nm nj nf 1ofo
IL against Eve hundred.
Tho fort at the present time has officers
quarters and barracks for soven hundred
men. its regular war garrison: There 10 an
ample supply of shot, powder and shells for
one years siege. and large amount of mis-.
celaneous artillery stores. The garrison 10
amply supplied with water from artificial
wells, which arc supplied by frequent
showers of rain.