The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1861-06-29

II
proofs inside. The gate was closed, at
taismanic knock it was opened, and from
the external silence we passed into a scene
full of activity and life, through the dark
gallery which served at first as a framework
to the picture. The parade of the fort was
full of men, and at coup d aeiI it was OBJ
vious that great effort had been made to
prepare FortlPickens for desperate defense.
In the parade were several tents of what is
called Sibley's pattern, like our bell tents,
but without the lower side wall, and pro-
vided with ventilating top, which can be
elevated or depressed at pleasure. The pa
rade ground has been judiciously filled with
deep holes, like inverted cones, in which
shells will be comparatively innocuous; and,
warned by Sumter, everything has been
removed which could prove in the least
degree combustible. The officer on duty
led me straight across to the opposite angle
of the fort. AS the rear of the classmates
and bomb-proofs along this side will be ex-
posed to plunging FIRE from the opposite
side very ingenious screen has been con-
structed by placing useless gun platforms
and parts Of carriages at an angle against
the wall, and piling them up with sand and
earth for several feet in thickness. A pass
age is thus left between the base of the wall
can walk with ease.
Turning into this passage we entered a
lofty bomb-proof which was the bedroom
of the commanding officer, and passed
through into the casemate which serves as
his headquarters Colonel Harvey Brown
received me with every expression of polite
ness and courtesy. He is tall, spare, SOL
dierly-lOoking man, with face Indicative
of great resolution and energy, as well as
sagacity and kindness, and his attachment
to the Union was probably one of the reas-
ons of his removal from the command of
Fort Hamilton, New York, to the charge of
this very important fort. He has been long
ia the service, and he belonged to the first
class of graduates who passed at West Point
after its establishment in 1878. After q
short and very interesting conversation, he
proceeded to show me the works, and we
mounted upon the parapet, accompanied by
Capt Berry, and went over all the defenses.
Fort Pickens has regular Fashioned trace,
in outline an oblique and rather narrow
parallelogram, with the obtuse angles fac
ing the sea at one side and the land at the
other. TIE acute angle, at which the bas-
ton toward the enemy's batteries is situate,
is the weakest part of the work but it was
built for sea Defense as | have already OBJ
tain the greatest amount OF fire on the sea
approaches. The crest of the parapet is
covered with very solid and well-made mer-
Ions of heavy sand-bags, but one face, and
the gorge of the bastion are exposed to an
enflading fire from Fort NJ Rae, which the
Colonel said he intended to guard against if
he got time.
All the guns seemed in good order, the
carriages being we'll constructed, but they
are mostly of what are considered small
calibers nowadays, being 32-pounders,
with some 42-pounders and 24-pounders.
There are, however, four heavy columbiads,
which command the enemY's works on sew
eral points very completely. 1t struck me
that the bastion guns were rather crowded.
But even in its present state, the defensive
preparations are most ereditahle to the off
GERS, who have had only three weeks to do
the immense amount of work before us. The
brick coping have been removed from the
parapets, and strong sand-bag traverses have
been constructed to cover the gunners in
addition to the "rat holes " at the bastions
More heavy guns are expected, which, with
the aid of few more mortars, will enable
the garrison to hold their own against
everything but regular siege on the land
side, and so long as the fleet covers the
narrow neck of the island with its guns. it
is not possible for the Confederates to effect
Judgment. If Fort McRae were strong
and heavily armed, it could infiict great
damage on Piekens but il is neither one
nor the other, and the United States Off
GERS are confident that they will speedily
render it quite untenable.
The bouches fen of the fort may be put
down at 40, including the available pieces
in the classmates, which sweep the ditch and
the faces of the curtains. The walls are of
the hardest brick, of nine feet thickness, in
many places, and the crest of the parapets
on which the merlons and traversrs rest.
are of turf. From the walls there is a
splendid view of the whole position, and
found my companions were perfectly well
acquainted Wild the strength and locus of
the greater part of the enemy's works. or
course held my peace, but ives amused
at their accuracy. There are the omar
ters of our friend Gen. Bragg" There is
one of their best batteries, just beside the
lighthouse. The tall chimney of the War
rington Navy Yard was smoking away lust
lily. The Colonel called my attention to II
" Do you see that, sir They are casting
shot there. The sole reason for their for
bearance' is that Navy Yard. They know full
well that if they open gun on US, we will
lay that yard and all the work in ruins"
Capt. Vogdes subsequently expressed some
uneasiness on a point-a As 44a--s-Issosz I couru
have relieved his mind very effectuaIIv
he had seen something which led him to
apprehend that the Confederates had a
strong entrenched camp in the rear of their
works. Thereupon was enabled to per
eeive that in Capt. Vodges' mind there was
a strong intention to land and carry the
enemy's position. Why otherwise. did Won
care about an entrenched camp, most excel
lent engineer But now may tell you
that there is no entreached camp at all. and
that your vigilent eye, Sire, merely detect
ed certain very absurd little burrows which
the Confederates havein some places thrown
ap in the soft sand in front of their camps
which would cover man up to the knee
or stomach, and are quite useless as breast !
work. If they thought landing probable,
it is objectionable in them to neglect such
protection. These burrows are quite |
straight, and even if they are deepened, the
assailants have merely to march round /
them, as they extend for only some 40 or
20 wards and hara M