The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-01-11
FROM CHAELHsToN-THR INSECURITY OF THE
HARRoR works.

FROM cHARLnsToH-THE INSECURITY OF THE
HARBoR WORKS.
The Charleston Mercury of Wednesday has
an article on the harbor defences, from which
the following fs an extract:
War is imminent. Geu. Scott has control
OF the United States Government. War Is his
trade, and war Is now his counsel. I he sword
Is his arbiter, ard TO the sword he now looks
Information, has passed throughout the whole
country from New York to New Orleans, that
25o men are ordered TO the Charleston harb Dor
Tor the purpose of reinforcing the United
states command at Fort Sumter.
Wnat is our power to resist this act of war,
and what is our danger of failure in the at.
Tempt
Fort Moultrie is directly under the guns of
Fort Sumter. We venture little in the asser-
tion that It's power to main tain struggle
against Fort Sumter is quite inadeq uaie.-
Inc attempt Will but make her a slaughter
pen OF our best citizens. To what point or
points, ana to what power, are we to look for
means of adequ and effectual warfare and
defence Are our redoubts on Morris Island
and on the east end of SuiIivan's Island at
TINS moment adequate for the complete pro-
lection of our haroor against all attacks that
can now be made upon usf If not,will IL be said
that Fort MouitrIe can sink any vessel or war
steamer tnat attempts 20 come under her guns.
Granted. But what il such man-of war in
attempting 70 enter our harbor, is brought 10
by tue balls from our redoubts What hiG-
oersher from turning tail, and going again 10
nave opened war with the United States And
will not Major Anderson be empowered and
compelled, as an officer of the United States
Government, to open fire on Fort Mouitrie D
Aud will be not do itl And can he not en- tirely
d1smanfle her i'll As hours. having completed
his work. what will hinder the said man-of
war from again entering our harbor, and
bearing her reinforcemsnts to Fort Sumter J.
Nothing, surely, but the strength OF our re-
doubts, and their ability TO sink ner Are
tney in condition to do 1t, beyond a doubt l.
We confess to have no accurate military In-
formation on the point. 1t may be so. But ii
not, is there time for delay Five, ten thou
SAND negro iabArers can, and eonld have been
had. Should these points not be made our
chief reliance! Two hundred horses (Which
can be had) can remove large body OF can
non In day. Two or five thousand labor
ers can throw up large embankment in
twentyfour hours. Is not this the time ~
do ltt Why should not al least thirty
cannon be piaced at the east end of Sullivan's
Island IL strikes US mot being military nlen)
mat this is our point and not Fort Moultrie.
But If this is not sufficient, why cannot ali OF
our channels, except Maifil's channel, be
blocked up for the time being Is it not wor b
IL, 10 maintain our power Will it cost
money TO remove hereafter such obs tructions
To be sure ii will. But will it not cost macy,
mary valuable lives, il it is not done Uu-.
less. indeed, the redoubts We have spoken of
are in a sufficient state of readiness to pro-
tect, beyond doubt, the harbor from all and
any attacks by sea. Will it not do more b
"iiA IL hOt. iOI Tic tllllF Tie our ndnuS, Ina
virtually subject us to the foreign policy and
hostile power OF the United States Govern
mentl
MILITARY MOVEMENTS IN CHARLEsroN-FA-
TAI ACCIDENT.
The Charleston papers of Wednesday fur
nish the following items of news:
On Monday night, shortly after 10 O'Clock, as
one OF the sentineis at Castle Pinckney was
going ms rounds, he was approached by per-
Al Ia m yi.txn hn
sented his IN usket ia the act of challenging
him, when the piece unfortunately went off,
aud the ranger immed ately tell. On examI-
nation, il proved TO be private r. L. Holmes
OF the Carolina Light Infantry. The ball had
taken effect in the left side, under the lder,
traversing both lungs, aud infiicting wound
from the effects of which he survived only 20
minutes.
Up to one O'Clock last night when our re-
porter left the vicinity Of Fort Sumter and
Morris Island, all was q uiet in our harbor.-
The guard boats were actively plying up and
down the entrance. overhauling every un-
known craft. The rumOrS that the Star of
the West would make her appearance in our
waters, kept the seEtnels on the qua rirs, and
the cry of "all's well !" could be heard echo.
ing over the waters from Fort MouItrIe to
Fort Sumter. At the latter post il is evident
that the greatest vigilance is kept, and not
even the smallest boat cal approach the walls
without the gruf hailing OF The sentinels on
the ramparts. La a former article upon the
defences of Fort Sumter, we noticed the fact
that the second tier OF classmates had been
walled up. We observed yesterday that the
masonry closing Two Of these casemates,
poin ting towards Fort Mou!trie, has been re-
moved, the guns for those casemaIes being
com pleteiy mounted
Two additional companies Of volunteers
who have entered the service of the State for
SIX nths, arrived in the city yesterday. and
without arms or equipments were marched
on board the steaner Excel, fJr secret SER
vice.
The first company, under command of Cap
tain Spires, and Lleutenanis George Robin
son, f. q. Barber and Henry Key, number
over one hundred strong, heal hy- looking
men, from Hamburg.
The second company, s,J;ed the Cherokee
Pond Volunteers numbe:ct eighty two men, g,
nearly all OF them young farlners, eager for
service. They were Commanded by Captain
Merryweather, and Lieutenants A. Z. Butler
and ID. L. Shaw.
The Palmetto Guards. as we'll as portion
of the Irish Volunteers, were also out on duty
during the night. The Lafayette Artillery
and the German Artillery returned to the city
yesterday from Fort Moultrie, making quite
a handsome display as they passed through
the streets.
Lieut.. Pelot, of the Navy, has arrived in this
city aud rendered his services 10 the Gov
ernor, which have been accepted. Thus ano-
ther son OF South Carolina has nobly respond
ed TO the call of patriotism.
FORT PULASKI.
lNc ga dAHoh A>oWS VI ycStcIOdy gives us
the folio wing interesting particulars with re-
gard to Fort Pulaski:
AS against assault from the water, it is de-
Tended By an ample number of thlrty-two-
Founders, much better mounted, and in a much
higher state of efficiency, than any one
had supposed Not simply the classmates, but
the quarters at presen occ upied by the officers
and privates, are bomb proof-the arched CELL
ings, thirteen feet in thickness, and covered
with stiff bank sod. The open area within
the fort is not paved the earth covered with a
yielding sod, formed by grass and mud thrown
upon what was originally sand bank. If
bed had been artisticaIly prepared for the pur-
pose OF receiving, capturing and utterly de-
moralizing shell, 1t could not have been bet
ter devised. shell falling upon it must be
buried in tine sand beneath from two TO eight
feer, and by the sod above will be stripped OF
the power even of throwing sand into the
eyes; it, indeed, the fuse should not be extin-
guished and the she'll should explode. Those
who were shelled upon from San Juan d'tIiloa
during the in vestment of Vera Cruz, will re-
member that the second morning AT the
iandn the attention of the enemy was special
Iy directed to a sand hill occupied by Gen.
Z uitmans brigade which was thus posed to
their eyes doubtless to draw their fire. The
shells, TO dodge which in their descent became
after q while rather pieasurable excitement,
buried themselves in the sand; their fuses were
generally extinguished, and the casualties re-
sulting from their explosion, when they did
explode, were but few. A very little work
W i'll place the interior of Fort Pulaski in such
condition as to remove the men within it be-
yond the reach of even such casualties.
The Governor, whose entire action in this
matter is, we repeat, beyond ali praise, has
placed at the disposal Of Col. Lawtop, in addi-
iion 10 the usual armor of each soldier, one
breech loading carbine, throwing, in the hands
OF an expert marksman, sixteen rifle balls q
minute, Colts revolver, and one sabre.
The ditch around the fort is being rapidly
cleaned out under the orders of Col. Lawton-
rice field negroes having been placed at this
work.
THE SERVANTS IN THE FIELD.
The Charleston Courier furnishes the fol-
lowing items: