Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1861-01-23
Fort Sumter.

fOrt Sumter is one OF the most power
full military works in the United States =
1t is built on an artificial island; immedi.
ately within the mouth of Charleston Bay
between Fort Moultrie and the site of old
Fort Johnson, of Revolutionary memory,
and equi-distant from those POINTS about
three fourths of one mile. The ship-ehannel
Leading from the sea to the city Of Charles.
ton is between forts Sumter and MOultrie,
and is entirely commanded within halt
range of them. Between forts Sumter and
johnson the water is very shallow, only
available for vessels of very light draft,
and then only at high water. The artificial
island on which Fort Sumter is built is
constructed of the refuse from the granite
q~uarties of New England. Ter years was
consumed in its completion, at a cost OF
half a million of dollars.
The fertilization is of pentagonai fOrm,
built of solid brick masonry. The walls
are fifty feet in height, and from eight to
ten feet in thickness, and are pierced for
three tiers of guns. besides having neces-
sary ~loopholes for musketry. and designed
for an armament OF one hundred aud forty
pieces of ordnance of all calibr-s. Two
tiers of the guns are under bomb proof
case mates, and the third or upper tier open.
or, in military parlance en 6arbeHe-the
lower tier for forty two FOUNDER Paixhan
guns, the second tier for eight and ten
inch COlumbiads, for throwing solid or
hollow shot, and the upper tier for mortars
and twenty-fOur pound guns. The full
armament of the fort, however, had not ar
rived there when Major Anderson took
possession, and it is fair, therefore, to sup.
pose all the available ordnance will be
equitably distributed throughout as ju-
diciOusly as possible. 1t is thought that
with the present armament of the fort the
guns would be capable of throwing six thou.
sand pounds of shot at each discharge
In a defensive or strategical point of
view, Fort Sumter radiates its fire through
all the channels from the sea approach to
Charleston, and has a full sweep of range
in its rear, or city side. ample to repel any
attack from that quarter. The fort is
sufficiently out of range from a land artil-
lery attack, So that all apprehensious for
preaching it may be put at rest. The
maximum range of the guns from Sumter
is three miles.
Fort Moultrie could not be held against
a r~esolute attack for tweuty-four hours,
but Sumter. the strongest fort of its size
in the world. could only be taken by starv-
ing out the garrison. 1t is conceded that
it would require a continuous lombard
of six months with guns of the heav-
lest metal to destroy Fort Sumter, and
then it could only be done, if at all, by
off the masonry piece by piece. This
fort, moreover. commands the entire city and
harbor of Charleston. as we'll as Fort Moul-
trie itself; being built on an island in the
middle of the channel, it can easily be re-
lieved from the sea.
1t can only be entered by an enemy by
the e~mbrasures, which an attacking force
must crawl through, one nan at a time,
and hence two men, at one of these could
defend it against five hundred.
The fort at the present time has officers
quarters and barracks for seven hundred
men, its regular war garrison There is
an ample supply of shot, powder, and shells
for one years siege. and a large amount of
miscellaneous artillery stores. The gar
Alison is amply supplied with water from
artificial wells, which are supplied by fie-
luent showers of rain. The fort is now
under the command of Major Robert An
of Kentucky, who is assisted by
the other officers enumerated above in the
garrison of Fort MOultrie. There
Ire about 10 labOrers employed on the
fort, and these can, with a little discipline,
be soon taught to handled the gnns. The
present force, recapitulated, is as follows:
Ofhcers. y
Danu 10