Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-09-05

COrrespoBdence-The Const Defenses of
NorIh Carolina The Refuge Of the
Southern Pirates,
Among the effects of the captured officers
at Fort Hatteras, was found the letter. book
Of Major William B. Thompson, the Chief
Engineer Of the enemy's coast defenses in
North Carolina, containing copies of inn
portant official correspondence. The sub
stance Of these letters we give below.
NECESSITY OF SEA. COAST DEFENSE.
Under date of June 10, 1861, Major
Thompson writes to Colonel Warren Wins
low, tex.member of Congress), President of
the Military Board of North Carolina, urc-
ing the immediate necessity of establishing
a complete line of sea coast defenses and
adding;
1t is true that the character of our coast is
great moral protection to us; but we must
not lose sight of the fact that our coast and
every inlet upon it is as thoroughly known
to the Yankee captains of those vessels who
have been trading with us for years as TO
our own captains of vessels and the pilots
upon our own coast Every anchorage is
well known-for example, in the blight of
Cape Hatteras and in the blight of Cane
Lookout, and at other points where safe
anchorage can be had, and troops landed.
About six batteries of light artillery
would be found most effective in repellinp a
landing of the enemy ct such points as may
not be fortified. ] suppose that six batteries
would be found to be sufficient, but suppose
that it should require say forty.eight guns.
With these batteries and the country picket
guards on the alert, information could be
sent at short notice of the intention of the
enemy TO attempt landing at any point.
He 70 doubt would be repulse6 by a we'll
served battery, supported by force of in
fantry, for be could not play upon the bat
terry from bis shipping without destroying
his own troops, and they could not keep uD
an effective fire from the surf. boats, as they
would be thrown about by the breakers in
such way as to render their aim uncertain
and Ineffective. Turn the subject over in
your mind, and think that you will come
to the conclusion that as they propose only
to fortify the inlets, there are many other
points which can only be defended by flvino
artillery. The beach is one of the finest
roads in the world, hard and firm, and re.
paired by every tide. They could land at
certain points, pull their boats across and
commit deplorable ravages.
CONDITION OF FORT MORGAN IN JUNE,
Fort Morgan, captured by the rebels at an
early period of the rebellion, had been
placed in a strong defensive condition in
June last. Major Thompson writes, under
date of June l3: .g.s
There are now twenty two guns mounted
nine on the rampant or upper tier and thir
teen on the lower tier. Upon the upper
tier there are three columbiads, one ten
inch and two eight. inch two thirty.two
Founders and six twenty.four Founders; on
the lower tier thirteen twenty-four Founders,
In few days shall have mounted on the
upper tier another ten-inch columbiad. All
those guns bear upon the sea face of the fort,
and three OF them on the land approach. OF
the latter one of them is the ten. inch colum-
bad the second ten-inch columbiad when
mounted will also bear upon the sea face
and land approach. In addition to the above
heavy guns enumerated | have four plat
forms erected for six Founders, and the guns
to place upon them, two of which are in
place; the balance, say five guns, including
one twelve pound howitzer, are temporarily
in the flank classmates. Four six-pounders
will be placed on the platforms, near the sa-
lient commanding the land approach.
So important point was this post con.
sidered, that Major Thompson proposed an
increase of its armament, and he added this
piece of information, which may be useful
on subsequent occasion:
The sand hills have been cut down and re-
moved for one thousand yards along the sea
shore, which is in effect extending the placis
for that distance, over which direct as well
as cross-hres are amply provided for, when
we will get all OF the guns, which, with the
small arms, will render an assault of nus
merous column next to an impossibility.
COMMUNICATION WITH NORFOLK IN JUNE.
A latter from Major Thompson, addressed
to General Gwynn, under date of June II,
shows that communication between Nor
folk and Fort Hatteras was uninterrupted at
that time; for the Major announces the ar
rival of "a fore-and. aft schooner from Nor
folk, with eighteen naval gun carrirges and
fixtures four hundred and thirty thirty. two
pound shot, and some hand.spikes," but he
complains that barbette carriages were not
sent The Major further says:
Give orders to Howard to complete and
forward to Hatteras without delay eighteen
bsrbette carriages, two for the eight.iuch
sea-coast howitzers, Paixhan gun, the dimen-
sions for which have given him, and six.
teen carriages for heavy thirty-two-p
guns.
THE CONSTRUCTION OF FORT HATTERAs,
The construction of Fort Hatteras, the
post captured by General Butler on Thurs
day, is thus described by Thompson, in a
letter to Colonel Winslow, dated June II:
Fort Hstteras is beginning to assume the
appearance of respectable fortiication.
The sand is kept continually in motion on
this bald sand beach, by the strong winds
which prevail here, and the work would be
levelled down as fast as it could be put in
shape, were it not that was fortunate in
finding, about three-quarters of q mile up
the island, some marshes, from which | OBJ
tanned good sod to r-vet the work with and
hold the sand in place. / have been very
much annoyed with the naval gun carriages
sent from Norfolk, which are no doubt well
adapted TO war steamers when they have
port holes to fire through but which are not
at all adapted to Notifications, as they carry
the gun SO low as to render it impossible to
raise parapet Of sufficient hight to protect
the men who work the guns. If were to
construct embrasures for them the field of
fire would be entirely too limited, as it is
the channel of approach, would therefore
rected to send no more Of them.
AN ATTACK UPON HATTERAs IN JULY.
The attack of Government steamer upon
Fort Hatteras in July, which was briefly
reported at the time, is detailed by Thomp-
son, under date of July Ia, as follows:
The steamer was forty two gun steamer,
showing tWentY-0ne guns on each side She