The Lambertville press. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1858-1???, 1861-04-24


tions, the outer extremities of the arcs
being tangent respectively to the east
ern and western sides of the fort.
There are two rows of guns-the low
er being in easements (bomb proof, J
the embrasures for which are about
seven feet above low water mark, and
the upper being en- barbette. The
height of the rampant is twenty, and
the width thirty two feet The width
of the outer wall and of the parapet
is six feet the depth of the easements
is twenty feet, height ten; the diam
eter least and west) of the castle is
one hundred and seventy feet. The
entrance is on the north side, on eth
er side of which are the officers and
priyates' quarters, messr ,om, &c. The
ascent to the barhette is made on the
north eastern and north western cor
ners of the teare paradeplean. In the
latter is the furnace for heating shot.
FORT JOHNSON.
The present Fort johnson, is sim
ply huge sand battery, erected on
the site Of old Fort Johnson, of Rev
dictionary memory. 1t is one and
one-forth miles from Fort S. inter, and
at present is armed with four heavy
guns, manned with two companies of
regular artillery. The position of the
old fort, which is of the utmost impor-
lance as connecting point in the de-
fence of the harbor, has been consid-
cred by the highest military authori-
ty as the key to all the defensive works
in the harbor. Against the attack of
forces by land or boat attack by the
Stone river, it must be considered an
essential element of defence
FORT MoULTRIE
Fort Moultrie is one of the sentin-
ais that guard the principal entrance
to Charleston harbor. It's opposite
to and distance from Fort Sumter
about one and half miles, 1t is, more
properly speaking huge water bat
terry, without any guns under cover.
Its armament consists of eleven guns
of heavy calibre and several mortars.
The outer and inner walls are of brick,
capped with stone and filed with
earth, making solid wall fifteen or
sixteen in thickness This work has
been much strengthened recently,
sToNo INLET.
Stano Point is a portion of Morris
Island, facing the sea coast. Stone
Inlet is about two leagues from the
south Channel of Charleston. Be-
tween them lie two islands, viz -
Morris Island, on " hich the Lighthouse
stands, and Coffin Island. In Stone
Inlet there are nine or ten feet of wa
ter at low tide, but it was not much fire.
quented until Charleston was block
AIDED in 1775, when it was visited by
British vessels. In a strageJical
point Of view, the landing of the U. S.
troops at Stone Point would appear
to be for getting in tie rear of the
Morris Island batteries, which now
guard the sea approaches to Charles
ton.
CUMMINGS POINT IRON BATTERY.
The nearest land to F)rt Sumter is
Cummings Point On this point is
erected the celebrated railroad battery
1t consists of heavy framework of
yellow pine logs The roof is of the
same material, over which dovetailed
bars of railroad iron of the I pattern
are laid from top to bottom-All of
which is rivited down IN the most Sc
cure manner, On the front it pres
ents an angle Of about thirty de-
degrees. There are three port holes,
which open and close with iron shut
ters of the heaviest description
When open, the muzzles of the colum-
biads fill up the space completely -
The recoil Of the gun enables the shut
ters to be closed instantly. It is as
sert on high military authority, that
this inclined plane will efPectnally re-
oLob tAC uCufICob Ch1OIC-uIoU, DC-
cause no shot can strike it except at
an obtuse angle, which would cause
the ball to glance; second, its power
of resistance is sufficient to withstand
the fall of the heaviest shells
THE IRON FLOATING BATTERY
This is novel war machine design
ed for harbor operations, and is at
present anchored near Castle Pinck.
ney. 1t is constructed of Palmetto
logs, sheathed with plate iron, and is
supposed TO be impregnable against
shot. 1t is embrasured for and mounts
four guns of heavy calibre. It re-
quires 60 men to operate it. The
first impression on seeing this machine
is that it is Of immense solidity. The
The outer or gun side is covered with
six plates of irdn-two of them of the
7 railroad pattern, placed horizontal
ly and the other four bolted one over
the other, in the strongest manner,
and running vertically The wall of