Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-05-07

a. Tue present time the following oescrfp-
ton of Fortress Monroe. which we find in the
Norfolk Day Book, viii interest many per-
sons: - - 2 = 49, - = s--e-ss -
- Fortress Monroe is strong fortified garri-
son situated on that point of land formed by
the extreme western bank of the Chesapeake,
and the extreme eastern bank of Hampton
Roads, and at the junction of the two wa
ters- 1t was discovered during the war of
1884. that Chesapeake bay was the key to
all the waters of Virg MIA and Maryland, and
all who are at all familiar with the history
of the country, will remember that British
vessels came into Hampton Roads and not
only took the town OF Hampton, bat threat
ened to apply the torch to Norfolk, that
Phoenix like, had sprung from the ashes of a
former war with that power. Peace was de-
clared in 1915, and when the next Congress
met they took into consideration the subject
of coast and harbor defenses; accordingly a
board of engineers was appointed, and an
appropriation made for the prosecution of
such plans as might be decided upon.
About this time the grand army of Nape-
poleon was quiet, aud several of his principal
officers made our republican country their
home; among them was General Bernard, an
experienced soldier, and one of the most
skillful engineers then existing. He was
accordingly invited to assist in the work Of
arranging our system of coast and harbor de-
tense, and in 1916, in company with several
American officers, projected Fortress Monroe
and Fort Calhoun, more generally known as
the "Rip Raps." The work was laid off and
both forts commenced in 1919. From that
time to this there has been more or less work
going on at Fort Monroe, and while that
work is sufficiently advanced to be placed in
a state of defense, it is far from being finished.
The extent of the work may be judged from
the fact that it is over a mile around the
ramparts; the wall covers a space of twenty
or twenty-five acres, and there is about fl
teen acres inside of the garrison.
The casemates commence in the vicinity
Of the postern. behind the water battery,
and extend with little intermission to the
arched doorway. On either side of that en-
trance are classmates which are used as quar-
tiers for the officer of the day, guard house
and barracks for the guard. Those nearest
the port culliS have embrasures which are in
tended to protect that point from attack. In-
deed all the Classmates supplied with en-
brasures, behind which are mounted forty
two-pounders.
On the ramparts, at those points where
there are no Classmates, are mounted guns,
upon wooden carriages, whose saucy looking
muzzles are plainly to be seen above the
green turf that caps the fortificatiOn. At the
extreme southern bastion floats the stars and
stripes, while just below il, on the inside of
the garrison, is a neat little Episcopal
Church where the chaplain, SIR. Cheevers,
still continues to offer up his prayers tor the
Union and its President A deep moat sur
rounds the whole work; this mOat is supplied
with water from Mill creek, and. while
the gates are open, GIBBS and flows with the
tide.
The water battery, like all the masonry
on this fort. is a beautiful piece of work; it
is built of stone, and is sufficiently thick to
withstand any shot that can be projected
against it from the bay beyond. 1t is finished
with Classmates, the arches of which are turn
ed with brick, and rest upon granite columns
in the rear. This battery has forty-two en-
brasures, and is supplied with like number
of AZ Founders, which like all the rest of the
guns in the garrison, are fully mounted and
ready for action. 1t covers all that face of
the garrison that fronts upon the channel of
the bay, and is only intended as a means of
offense and defense when attacked by force
on the water. This portion of the work,
like the ramparts, is covered with a green
turf. and presents beautiful and pleasant
promenade in the summer afternoons.
At the upper or northern extremity of this
battery commences redoubt or breastwork
that extends around to the point of that bas-
ton in which the magazine is situated; in the
middle of this redoubt is a sally-port or pos
tern that leads out to an outer work (aot yet
finished) that is intended to protect the fort
from the land side. From the water battery
to the magazine is decidedly the weakest por-
ton of this fortress, and well organized
force of one thousand men could readily carry
the fertilization at this point. Besides the
TACT that there are no easement guns on these
two faces, the gates that supply the moat
with water are on this side, and at the low
tide might be closed to prevent the water
from coming in on the change of the tide,
and thus could a land force reduce the
draught of water to such an extent as to ena-
able them to wade across and scale the walls;
which of course could only be done under a
murderous fire. The gun from only one
shoulder could be brought to bear upon the
scaling party, and that one, or even two,
would be so depressed as to render its effects
doubtful. Besides this, q storming party
could reduce the garrison to submission in
short while, unless the elements conspired to
furnish them water, for there is not spring,
or a we'll, or a pump on the work; but like
the good people of Norfolk, the soldiers at
Old Point have TO depend on the clouds for
their drink.
We were led into the above remarks, be-
cause of the fact that Fortress Monroe is con
sidered impregnable, but such is not the
fact; it lacks much of it as it now stands,
and even if it was completed, we give our
idea of the work, when we remind our read
ers that Sebastopol and Gibraltar fell before
resolute enemy.
The Richmond Enquirer, in copying the
above, says:
As no fortifcation is impregnable to a
well appointed army of resolute and deter
mined men, the question of reducing Fortress
Monroe is one to be determined by the wis
dom and Judgment of the civil and military
authorities of the Confederate States; taking
into consideration the necessary loss of life
that must ensue in its successful capture
Upon this point we venture no opinion, leav-
ing it to the wisdom and discretion of Presi-
dent Davis and bis able officers in command
of the State and Confederate forces.
The garrison at Fortress Monroe is, doubt
less, very large and well-appointed at this
time, with the capacity, on the part of the
United States authorities, to increase it to
larger amount
We have no idea that the reports as to the
number of troops now at Fortress Monroe,
variously estimated at from three to five
thousand, are correct. But that q large and
strong garrison is now within the fort we
have no doubt.
Commanding the entrance of Hampton
Roads, its guns effectually blockade the
James and Elizabeth rivers, stopping all yes
sells bound either to or from Richmond, Pc
tersburg or Norfolk. Great annoyance is
thus given to the trade of Virginia and
North Carolina, but as the same blockade
could be made by vessels of war, within or
without the Capes, it may be question with
the authorities whether Fortress Monroe
should be reduced by investment or conquer
ed by forcing the capitalization of Washington
city.
WAsHINGToN.-The Richmond Dispatch of
the lst., instant, says: