The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1861-05-15
Fortress Monroe.

Ss'0o I" e'oy "'uR Io'ahFo W tue
strength aud extent Of those Notifications,
tagains, which our noble volunteers may
ere many days be fighting. We give ue'
low an interesting descri. .,,ion Of Fortress
Monroe, taken FROM the Richmond En-
quirer:
Fortress Monroe is a strongly fortified
garrison situated on that point Of land
formed by the extreme western band Of
the Chesapeake, and the extreme eastern
bank OF Hampton Roads, and at the
Junction Of the two waters. Il was dis.
covered during tie war Of 1924, that
Chesapeake Bay WAS the key 10 all the
waters Of Virginia and MARYLAND, and all
Who are at all familiar with the history
OF the country, will remember that
British vessels came into Hampton
Roads and not only took.the town of
Hampton, out threatened to apply the
torch TO Norfolk, that, phoenix like, bal
sprung from the ashes Of former WA,
with that power. Peace was declared in
1915, aud when the mex, Congress met
they took into consideration the suffice,
Of coast and barbor deiences /; according
iy board Of engineers WAS appointed,
aud an appropriation made for the prose
cu'ion Of such plans as might he decided
upon.
About this time the grand army of
Napoleon WAS quiet, and several Of his
priu,ipal officers had made our rspubli
can country their home ; among them
WAS General Bernard Nh experienced sol.
nal o( al, 4 -:
nsers then existing. lie WAS accordingly
invited 10 assist Ia the work Of arranging
our :, s'e,u OF coast and harhor defence,
and IL 1915, IN company with several
A"e'ivan officers, projected Fortress
Monrce aid Fort Calhoun, more cener
ally known rs the rip Raps." The
work Was i.id III and both ior,s com
meuced IN 1919. From that time TO
t!'. there las been NOR. or less work
gong on a, Forl Monroe. aud While that
WORK Is sufficiently advanced to be placed
Ia " s,nte vi deience, it is far from being
finished. The eAtent vi the work ma,
be judged fom she iaci that il is over u
I"iI" "rnnnH he Tauparts the sail GOV
trs pace ol ,~eity or twenty five acres,
ni.d there are about fifteen acres inside ui
thr garrison. Besiucs the houses, there
ARE store n"Hs's, work shops, (not used
nov y labor Tory, nu office, and severn.
uuim mportnu; bndirgs.
The casemnt-s conn. ence in the v;cini.
I! OF the lo,;cTI, bch nd lhs water bate
~, aud exeuG, wuh little in,ermission,
tu ;he arch-d doorway, d.sis sastsd MS the
HIATT enuancc Ua either side of that on
unnre are caseuI"l-s, which are used rs
q'mr,-.s .or The "tiicer of tbe day. Euard
i'"use and b",rack. for the guard. Those
aiest The port cullis lave ennbrasurss,
which are ini-nd- to prevent that point
'rum attack. iuueed all tho casenx,.,
are Supplied With embrasures, bshira
which are mounted AZ poupders. Ol
The rampa :, i those points, wherr
there an 40 .ase.nn es, are mounted guns
upon wooden Carriages, whose sAucy
looking muzzes are plaiuly to be seen
above the green turf that caps the f.rtifi
cation. A. ibe extreme Southern bastion
noats the stars AID stripes, ~h,ie Just be
low IL, on the inside of the garrison, is =
neat LITTLE Episcopal Church where the
Chaplain, MIR. Cueevers, s,.ll continues
to offer up MS prayers for the Union and
ils Presidsot. A deep moat surround.
the whole work this moat is supplied
with water from Mill Creek, and, white
the gates are open, ebbs snc flows with
tue tide.
The Water Battery. like all the ma
Aonry on This fort, is n beautiful piece VI
work; Il is built u stone. and is sufficient
ly thick TO Withstand any shot that eau
be projected against II from the bay hey
ohd. II 10 finished with casemates, the
Arches Of which are turned with BRICK,
snd rest upon granite columns in the
rear. Thin battery has fJrtyitwo embrss
nres. and is supplied With . like number
of 42 Founders. which, Ike all the ,est OF
the guns in the garrison, are mounted
snd ready Tor sclion. il covers oil that
tsce OF the garrison that fronts upon the
Channel OF the bay, aud is only intended
~ a Iueans OF offence and defence when
attacked by n force on the water. This
portion Of the work, like the rsmpar,s. ia
covered with green tori, and presents q
sheautiiul and pleasant promenade in the
summer afternoons. At the upper or
porthsrn extremity Of this battery com.
ynences q rsdoubt or breastwork lhs, ex
tends around 10 the point Of that bsstion
IN which the magazine 10 situated /; in
the middle OF ,ba redoutt 10 a sslIy port
or postern that leads out te an outer
work (not ye, Anish.d) that 10 intended
10 protect the fort fro,a the land aide.
From hs Wster Battery TO the Nag
azine Is decidedly the weakest portion Of
tlis fortress. and q well organized fo,ce Of
one thousand men could readily carrv
the fertilization at this poirt. Besides
the fsea thsl there are no caser,ats ouns
on these two faces, the gates that supply
the most With water are on tbis s,de,
and ri low tide, might be clossd TO pre-
rent the water from coming in on ,bs
change Of the tide, and thus could land
force reduce the draught OF wster 70 such