Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-03-09
Visit Of General Beauregard to the Charles.
ton Fsrtificatiens-Fsrt Sumter.


On Monday last Brigadier-Gsneral Bsaurs-
gard, the newly appointed commander Of the
State forces in Charleston harbor, visited, in
company with Governor Pickens and his Aids,
Fort Johnson, Cummings Point and the Morris
Island battery. The Courier, in noticing the
visit, says:
"Gen. Beauregard was very much struck
with the great amount of work that had been
done and the general progress and strength of
the Notifications They did not visit Fort
Moultrie, but Gen. Beauregard expressed per-
feet confidence that Fort Sumter could be re-
duced, and thatit was question only of time. !"
The formidable character of the undertaking
may be well gathered from the following
Graphic grouping of the obstacles to success
by the Charleston correspondent Of the Now
Orleans Delta, who writes on the 10Th ultimo ::
Very few, L apprehend, realize to their full
extent the almost insurmountable difficulties
which lie in the way Of the reduction Of its
massive granite walls. In truth, with an ade-
quate garrison, il can hardly be doubted that
the fort would be altogether impregnable to
any force that the State of South Carolina
would DO able to bring against it. Even with
the elghty-six men who now constitute the
garrison to oppose them, doubt whether there
are many volunteer armies in the world that
would not quail when brought face to face
with the terrible fact that those towering
psrapets have to be carried by assault at the
point of the bayonet. For the benefit of those
who have never seen the position which the
Fort occupies in the hsrbOr Of Charleston,
will recapitulate briefly some of the circum-
stances which combine to give it so formidable
a character.
Fort Sumter is perfectly isolated work, the
nearest point of land being three quarters of a
mile distant It's walls, which are built of
stone, brick, and concrete, rise abruptly from
the waters of the harbor, to the height Of sixty
feet. The faces of the walls are pierced with
two tiers Of heavy sasemate guns, while a
third tier, eR baybette may be seen with their
black muzzles peering jealousy from the top
of the parapet.
The first great difficulty that stares US in the
face is that to take these wslls-unapproach-
able by land-we have no navy. Storming
parties then would have to approach the walls
either in steamboats, row boats for a dis
tsnce Of full three quarters of mile under the
FIRE of shells, red hst solid shot and grape
But, suppesing this ordeal passed, and that
the assailants have reached in safety the foot
of the walls. Amid the unpleasant concomi-
tants of showers of hand grenades and volleys
of musketry they must elevate their ladders
which, being more than seventy feet long,
must necessarily be very heavy and very un-
wieldy. Now comes another and very serious
trouble. Where are they to plant their scaling
. ladders? The water adjacent to the walls is
too deep, and, to prevent all chance of the lad
ders being hooked on to the edge Of the para
pet, Major Anderson has cunningly had his
/. men at work sloping of the edge Of the ma
: sonry, and removing every ledge of ornamen-
Z tai brickwork which might expedite the pro-
acess Of fixing the ladders. Thus you see the
only chance is to have the boats or RATS, upon
which the storming parties approach, OF suf-
fcient strength and solidity to sustain the foot
of the ladders while the men ascend. How
far il is likely that such a solid structure could
be brought uninjured under the walls, after
having passed the discharges of the eight-irch
columbiads in the classmates, I leave you to
judge.
y These are only portion of the discouraging
: facts which render the assault of Fort Sumter
. rather serious matter. / have detailed them
' merely to explain why it has been necessary
that the Preparations should have been cor
respondingiy elaborate. The annals of war
fare present few instances where so formida-
bic post has fallen before means of attack so
entirely inadequate. And yet believe that
the impetuous yalor of the Palmetto regiments
will atone for every deficiency, and that the
/. Federal flag will not float much longer over
; the bulwark of our harbor.
Meanwhile may mention the great point
: which the State has gained. Notwithstanding
; the clustering Of the abolition papers at tho
2 North, which pretend to believe the contrary,
tits now utterly impossible to reinforce Major
Anderson's garrison without fight, in which
Uncle Sam would be pretty certain to get
worsted. The ships or boats which bring re-
inforcements will have to run the gauntlet Of
line Of batteries which are certain to sink
even the largest ship. If an attempt should
b made to send the reinforcements by land,
11en We shall have q pitched battle, and the
s.ksaxery Of men defending their homes and
fresides will be tested against the grim and
stole charge OF Scott's disciplined hirelings.