Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-11-16

/ l6. ST. GEORGES SOUND. --Fi0y miles to
the westward is Apalachicola small town
at the mouth of the Apalachicola River, on
the bay Of the same name. This river ad-
mits vessels drawing six feet Of water.
| Those vessels drawing seven and o half
feet can approach only near the town. The
entrances to the bay and harbor are such
that a single vessel could blockade it, if such
a blockade were considered necessary. As
the town is cut off from the interior by long
reaches Of damp swamp, through which a
struggling post-road is kept up, it will be
considered Of no Importance. Next in value
tol Pensacola, as a oapacious and safe har-
Dor, is the Bay of st. Joseph. 1t is nearly
land-locked, and has an anchorage depth Of
twenty-five to thirty-three feet-its en-
trance measuring seventeen feet ofwater on
the bar There is an impol tant fishing
town called st. Joseph on this bay, and
toerable road from it 10 Apalachicola.
The Bay Of st. Andrews s, the next harbor
on the coast, though shelter for ships in
bad weather, has only one small town upon
its shores. Equally a wilderness is the
country about st. Rosa Bay, which has
narrow entrance, with but six feet Of water
on the bar. Connecting this bay with the
Bay Of Pensacola is st. Rosa Sound, navi-
gable only for vessels drawing less than
four feet of water.
10. PENsAcoIA.-One of the most import
ant points, in many respects, upon the
Gulf, is Pensacola, the next approachable
to the West. Railroads connect it with
Montgomery, the Capital of the State of
Alabama, at which point it is connected
with the great network of national roads.
The location, near Pensacola, Of a United
States Navy Yard, adds to its Importance.
The Bay of Pensacola, on which the town
lies, affords the finest harbor on the Gulf.
The water on the bar at the entrance meas
ures twenty-five feet within the bay it is
still deeper; but the depth is only
twenty-one feet off the wharves of PEN
sacola. Santa Rosa Island, near forty
miles in length, throws its western extrem-
ity across the mouth of the bay, leaving q
single entrance one and quarter miles
wide. Near the extreme western end of
| the island is Fort Pickens, so situated that
the entrance channel sweeps around it in a
semi-circle; and vessels entering are ex-
posed in turn to the fire from three sides of
the fort, within q range Of less than mile.
Santa Rosa Island is scarcely quarter of
a mile wide at it's broadest portion, and so
low that heavy seas sometimes break en-
| tirely across some parts of it. Opposite
| Fort Pickens, on the main land, is Fort
McRae, and little to the south of the lat
ter is the watenfbattery. The Warrington
Navy Yard and Fort Barrancas lie on q
point of the main land within the bay,
about one and two thirds miles from Pick
ems. Fort Pickens can alone maintain q
blockade of Pensacola, so long as it re-
mains in the hands of the United States
| Government.
A short distance west from Pensacola is
Perdido Bay, with bar on which lies but
four feet of water.
| ..A.. g .. ALABAMA.
90. MoBLE.-Forty miles west from
Pensacola, on the bay of the same name
lies Mobile entrance, the second place of en-
try on the Gulf after New Orleans. Two
railroads connect it with the great national
routes. The Mobile River and its branches,
the Tombigbee and Alabama, navigable for
steamboats, several hundred miles, also
make important connections with the in
terror. The population of Mobile is twenty
| five thousand; its business wholly CONNER
cial. The entrance to the bay lies between
Sand Island, on which the lighthouse
stands, and shoal making off from Mobile
Point, long narrow spit projecting from
the main land, nearly fifteen miles in
length. On the bar of the deepest channel
the water lies twenty feet in depth. Fort
Morgan guards the entrance, fortifcation
on Mobile Point, and all heavy draft vessels
have to pass Immediately under its guns
in entering the bay. This fort is in the
hands of the Secessionsts The vessels
blockading this port will experience some
difficulty in finding safe anchorage during
heavy weather. as the fort will prevent
their using the bay as a refuge. The pass
between Petit Bois and Horn Island, having
sixteen feet is the nearest refuge from
southeast or southwest gales.
From Mobile Bay, westward, a line
of low sand islands lies parallel to
the coast, forming Mississippi Sound,
which is navigable for coasters drawing six
feet ofwater. Through this sound consider
able trade is carried on with New Orleans
| by way Of Bayou st. Jean and Lake Pont-
chartrain. The sound communicates with
Mobile through a narrow channel of five
feet at low water called Grants Pass
There are several connections between
Mississippi Sound and the Gulf, viz: be.
tween Dauphin and Petit Bois Islands
| between Petit Bois and Horn Island, and
beyond Horn Island. The coast commune
| CdllOn OeIWeen new OrIednS anu phOUlle
could be cut off by a small cutter cruising
between Horn Island and Chandelier Reef
distance of thirteen miles, cutting off a
the same time the communication of New
Orleans with the Gulf through Lake Pont
chartrain. The latter body of water is navi
gated by vessels drawing seven feet of wa,
ter. Cat and Ship Islands have good har
bors, the first at its northeast end and the
last at the northwest end. Their channels
afford, respectively, seventeen and nine
teen feet.
LOUISIANA.
81. MOUTHS OF THE MIssIssIPPI.-TherC
are three main passes to the Mississippi, th'
Northeast Pass, the Southeast Pass and tn,
Southwest Pass. These, at their widest di
vergence, are about twenty-five miles apart
The Southwest Pass has usually thirteen fee
of water on the bar; the depth varies con
siderably, so that vessels drawing but four
teen and half feet sometimes lie weeks il
the mud, before being able to pass over
| The other passes are still more tickle anC
changeable, although admitting heavy draf
vessels. The land at the entrance of tn,
Mississippi River is nothing but mud banks
continually increasing with reeds ant
rushes growing upon it, at the hight often o
twelve feet above the water. From the ba
to New Orleans is one hundred and twent,
miles. The various passes converge, form
ing the delta, about twelve miles from tn
Gulf. At this point in the river two or thre
steamers could obstruct the navigation 0
the river for any length of time, and agains
an enemy approaching from any direction
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