The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1861-01-09
Fort Sumpter.

Fort>Sumper is one of the most power
eriuI military works in the United States =
II is built on an artificial island, Immediate
ly y'within the mouth of Charleston Bay, be-
tween Fort MoCltrie and the site o. old
Fort Johnson, of Revolutionary memory,
and equidisiant from those points about
three .fourlhs of one mile. The ship-chan-
Charleston is between Fort SumPter and
Fort Monltrie, and is entirely commanded
within half range by them Between FORTS
Sumptsr and Johnson the water is very shall
low, only available for vessels oil light draft,
and then only al high water. The artificial
island upon which Fort Sumpter is built, is
constructed OF the refuse of the granite
quarries OF New England. Ten years were
consumed in the completion, al the cost o:
half a million of dollars. The iorutcaton
is of pantagonal form, built of solid brick
masonary. The walls are fifty feet in hight,
aud from eight 10 len feet in thickness, and
are pierced for three liers OF guns, besides
having necessary loopholes for muskeiry,
and designed for an armament OF one hun
6red and forty pieces of ordinance OF all
calibres Two tiers OF the guns are under
bomb proof cssemates, and the third or up
per iier open, or, in military parlance, en-
barbeue-the lower tier for fory-two poun-
der Paixham guns the second tier for eight
and ten inch Columbians, for solid or hol'
low shot, and the upper tier for morlars anc
twen;y-four pound guns. The full arma-
ment of the Fort, however, had not arrived
there when Major Anderson look possess
ion, and il is lair, therefore, to suppose all
the available ordnance will be equitably
distributed throughout as judicousy as
| possible. II is thought that with the pres
| ent armament of the fort the guns woeld be
capable of throwing six thousand pounds oil
| shot at each discharge. In a defensive or
s,ralegical point of view Fort SumPier radi-
| a,es its fire through all the channels from
/ the sea approach 10 Charleston, and has
| full sweep of range in its rear, or city side,
ample 10 repei any attack from that quarter
The Fort is sufficiently out of range from
/ land artillery attack, so that all apprehen-
! 6fOIS LOT NC PNh - 'NoN'
/ The maximum range of the gans from
Sump,er is three miles, bu: for accurate
firing, sufficient 10 haul vessel, the dis
tance would require 10 be reduced cne-haii
of that figure. 1t can only be entered by an
enemy by the embrasures, which al attack
ing force must crawl through, one man at
The lime, hence two men al one oil these
could defend ii against five hundred.
The Fort at The present time has officers
quarters and barracks for seven hundred
men, its regular war garrison. There is al
ample supply OF shot, powder and shell 10
one wears siege, and large amount c
miscellaneous artillery stores. The garrison
is amply supplied with water from ar'ifi
cial wells, which are supplied by the IRE
ouent showers of rain. The Fort is nov
under the command OF Major Robert Ander
son, of Kentucky. There are about no la
borers employed on ;he Fort, and thes'
can. with little discipline, be soon taugh
TO handle the guns. The present force re
| cani,nlaied are as follow