The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1861-04-25

Charleston Harbor.--Discriptien Of Fern
SUMTER Monltrie, and Castle Pinckney.
FORT SUMTER.
Fort Sumter, which just now attracts
universal attention, is built upon an
artificial island at the gate of the har-
Dor, three and half miles southeast
OF Charleston. It has been for ten
years in course of construction and
was only recently so nearly completed
as to admit the introduction of its
armament. The fort rests upon q de-
posite of granite rocks, brought from
New Hampshire and placed there at
great expense for the purpose, no point
on the mainland adjoining on the South
being sufficiently near or firm for the
erection of q defence so necessary "a
aid Fort Moultrie in securing the ap.
proaches to the city. The cost of the
work has been over 100000. The
fortress is in the form of denli-octa.
gon; the truncated side being at the
South, and the exterior faces presented
to all points of the main ship channel,
and overlooking Charleston and Fort
Moaltrie. The walls are of solid brick
masonry, ten feet in thickness, and in
height sixty feet from the water line Ia
the parapet. They are pierced for
three tiers of guns, numbering in all
hundred and forty, of all sizes. The
upper tier, which is designated for
mortars and twenty four Founders Is un.
sheltered, but at such height as to be
beyond the reach of danger from the
balls of naval attack. the others
are beneath bomb-proof easemates,
the lowest tier consisting of heavy
Paixhans, carrying forty two pound
shot and the intermediate of ten inch
Columbiads.
1t is stated in the Charleston papers
that of seventy five heavy guns now
in the Fort, only eleven of the Paix-
hans are fully mounted, nine of them
being directed towards fort Moultrie.
and one towards Castle Pickney.
None of the Columbiads are in posi-.
ton. -Four of the twenty-four poun-
ders on the summit of the wall are
mounted upon pivots so as to sweep
the horizon. They are at present on
the side adjacent to Morris island. Id
addition to these weightierpreparationi
for defense, the walls are pierced every
where for muskets, of which there ere
endless numbers ready and loaded. The
magazine is enormously stocked with
grape, canister and shell. In his removal
from Moultrie, Major Anderson carried
with him all his stores and small arms.
The place is, therefore, amply pro-
visioned for six months. Water il
furnished by four large cisterns the
only articles of which there appears to
be deficiency are men and fuel.
With regard to the offensive abilities
of the fort, its guns will sweep every
point Of the compass. Their range
averages three miles; of course, COM
manding absolutely every approach to
charleston, and rendering the feehler
aefences of Fort Moultrie, or of any
fortified place upon the .paialand, xhe-
Inv untenable. In defensive point e
lview, the eplace is regarded - impreg.
Unable. Fronfthe mainland the peareet
point Of attack is 600 yaTdB oI5e1ot
but on ground SO low as to be entirely
at the mercy of the guns of the for.
tress and besides there is no artillery
in the possession of South Carolina
which, even if andisturbed, could make
anything like breach in its massive
walls. The garrison consists at this
moment of sixty-four rank and file,
fifteen musicians, and one hundred and
seventy laborers. The utmost vigi.
lance is maintained by all parties, shar-
ing as they do to man the determi-
nation to perish in defence of the place.
THE laborers are busily engaged In
mounting the guns, SO that each day
adds to the number in position for
effective service.
| The above it will be recollosted was
written previous to the late evacuation.3
FORT MoULTRIE.
/ Is an enclosed water battery, abou$
one mile northeast of Fort EumteI.
having front on the south, or water
side, Of about 900 feet, and depth of
$40 feet. It is built with salient and
entering angles on all sides, and 10
admirably adapted for defense either
from the attack of a storming party, or
by regular approaches. The outer and
inner walls are of brick, capped with
stone, and filed with earth, making .
solid wall Is or l6 feet in thickness.
The height of the wall from the bot.
tom of the ditch to the top of the par.
f apet, is twenty feet. The ditch is from
, IL to Is feet wide at the base, and Is
feet deep. The work on the south side
is nearly fnished.-The counterscarp
is substantially built of plank, and
, spread with turf The glacis js COM
posed of sand and covered with layss1
of loam and turf, all of which are kSpf
firmly in place by the additions of Sc;
tons Of plank nailed to uprights SUM
, in the sand, and cross each other g
right angles-making squares of abol(
ten feet each.-The purpose of the
, glacis, which is an inclined plane, is ta
expose an attacking party to the fire
| of the guns-whieh are SO placed as e
sweep it from the couutersearp to the
. edge of the beach.
CASTLE PICKNER.
Which has also been taken posses,
sion of by the mob, is located en- The
n q