Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1861-06-13

ting into the marshy shores sandy island and spit on
SIDE another sandy island the lines of the batteries
which, probably most dangerous, from their prox-
unity and position to the unprotected face of Sumter The
fort itself IS built IN the hdeway, rocky point which
has been increased by artificial deposits granite chips
Embarked with few additions to original party on
boad small steamer called the Lady Davis we first pro-
ceeded to Morris Island about 81 miles from Charleston
Our steamer filed with commissaria for the
troops of whom 1000 were said to be encamped among
the sandhills. Any one who has ever been at South
port, or has seen the dunes about Dunkrk Calais,
will have good idea of the place. Our landing was
opposed by guard of volunteers with crossed fire.
locks but they satisfied by the Generals authority
and proceeded ankle deep in the SOFT white sand to
visit the batteries which played the landward
Sumter They are made of sandbags for the most part
protected magazines the embrasures being faced with pal
metto logs which cannot splinter when struck by shot 1t
did not however REQUIRE much alton to show that
these works would be greatly injured by fire of vertical
and horizontal shell from the fort and that the distance
their armament would render it difficult to breach the solid
walls which opposed to them upwards of $50
yards away However, there were two powerful NOR
tar batteries which could have done great damage if
they well sorted and have made the terrepen and
parade Of the fort complete shell trap unless the
mortars were injured The civilians and mllltlamen
set greater store the Iron Battery at Cumming s
point which the part of the island nearest to the fort but
the fire of heavy would have soon destroyed their con
dence consists of yellow pine logs placed vertical
uprghts The roof of the material slopes from the
top of the uprght to the sand facing the enemy over it
detailed bars of railroad iron. OF the pattern, from
top bottom all rveed down In the most secure manner
On the the railroad iron roof and incline present
iron shutters When opened by the action of lever the
muzzes of the Columbad ill the completely The
coumbad guns with which this battery equipped bear
the south Wall of Sumter at an angle Inc inclined side OF
the battery has been struck by shot, the effect OF two Of
which is enough demonstrate that the fire of the
barbete would have been destructive The columbad
kind of Dahgrenhat piece OF ordna ice very thick IN
the breech and ghtened off gradually from the anvlous
to the muzzle The platforms were rather light but the
carriages solid and well made and the eleVatIng
itches Of The guns were ID good order The
mortars cabres and descriptions mostly 8nch
and lOnch and it is said there were IL OF them IN posi-
ton aud working against the fort that So guns were from
time time directed against it. Shot and shell appeared
abundant enough. The works all small detached
batteries wish andbag merons and at the gorge and
they for four miles along the shore of the island
The camps are pitched most irregulary between the
of all shapes and sizes in the fashion called
the way that would drive Indian quartemaster general
mad Bones of beef and mutton, champagne and wine
bottles, obstructed the approaches which of
to act Dr. Sutherland and Sir John Ne bitterly,
and suggest the reflection that the army which utterly
neglected Sanitary regulations could not long exist as soon
the gained full power. They say however, the
not scky and that these sandhi the most healthy
generally when they have nothing to dO-oungng
lying the straw and plank carpets smoking reading
sleeping The owners of the tents give them various names OF
which The Lions Den 1.-The Tigers Lair, ' The Eagles
Nest, Mars Delight, fair specimens and these
done in black 1.-THE white calico. In of which visited
the hosptabe inmates busy brewing caret
cup, and Bordeaux, lemons sugar, ice, and Champagne
and salads in abundance and the end of the tent
was bar where anything else in reason could be had for
the asking though water not plentiful At of
the batteries the great object of attraction gun made
ton Co.. of Liverpool which only put in battery the
DAY berore the fire opened and the effect Of which the
pounderthe which tried last year, thinkand
bears brass plate with the inscription Presented to
South Carolina by of her citizens" 1t is remarkable
enough that the vessel which carried lay in the midst of
the United states vessels at the mouth of the harbOr
Having satisfied our curiosity as well as time and sand
storm permitted, got into boat and proceeded to
Sumter At distance the fort bears some resemblance to
Fort Paul at sebastoPo 1t truncated pentagon with
ing considered safe from attack the work only in
tended to resist approach from the 1t is said to
have cost altogether more than f2OO,OOO sterling The
walls of solid brick and concrete masonry built close
to the edge of the water 60 feet hgh and from eight to
twelve feet thickness and three tiers OF guns the
north, and exterior sdes Its weakest point
the south sde where the not protected by
flank fire to sweep the wharf The work designed for
armament of lao pieces of ordinances of all cDres. Two
tiers under bombproof casemates and the third tier is
bdrbee lower intended for AZ FOUNDER Paix
han guns; the second tier for eight and tennch coumb
ads for throwing solid hollow shot, and the upper tier
for and guns But only IS are now mounted Eleven
Paxhan guns among that NUMBER nine of them
manding Fort MOurie. Some Of the COlumbads not
mounted -Four of the 32pounder barbete guns are on
pivot carriages and others have sweep Of l80 degrees
The walls pierced everywhere for muskes The maga
zine contains several hundred barrels OF gunpowder and
supply of shot, powder, and SHELLS The garrison
ply supplied with water from artificial wells. The gar
rson OF the fort ought to be at least 600 men, but only 10
within its walls, with the aborers-lO9, all toda
the time OF the attack.
The walls of the tort dented all sides by shot
marks, but in instance any approach made
breach and the greatest damage, of the angles on
the south face did extend than the
masonry, which is of very fine brick The parape is of
damaged but the casemate embrasures are unn
jured. On landing at the wharf perceived that
granite cOpngs had suffered than the brick work.
and that the stone had pt I'D and spntered where il
The ingenuity of the defenders evident
here They had morter with which to asen the stone
tee ed south sde but Maj Anderson his subordinate
Capt Foster had closed the slabs in with lead which he pro-
cured from some water piping and had rendered them proof
against eScalade Whicr he prepared also
by extensive mines laid under the wharf and landing
place, to be fired by friction tubes and lines laid inside
he He had al so unh Of oils
the same purpose to act as hand grenades with friction
tubes aud anyads when hurled down from the
his assaants The entrance to the fort blockaked
by of masonry which had been thrown down from
the walls of the burnt barracks and officers quarters along
the south side number OF men engaged in digging
up the mines at the wharf, and Others busted
plotting the ruin Of the totterng walls which still
hot that was necessary to keep hose of water playing
part of the brickwork. TO uinated eye would
if the fort uutenabe but in reality in spite of the
destruction done to it, stout garrison properly supplied,
"oud nave oeen III 10 DANGER rom any thng except the
explosion of the of which the copper door
jamed by the heat the time of the surrender. Exclusive
of the burning the quarters the intense there
no reason for properly handled and sufficient force to
render the place. 1t is needless to Ma Anderson had
neither the other He in all respects most mis-
erably equipped His guns without scales
tangen that his elevations rude wedges
OF DEAL nd hs scales marked IN chalk on the breech of the
guns and his distances and bearings scratched in the
way on the side of the embrasures. He had not single
fuse for his Shells and he tried vain mprOviZe them
filling pieces of bored-out pine with caked gunpowder
His cartridges out and he compelled detail
OF his few men to make them out OF Shirts stockings and
Jackets He had not spg mortar, and he compelled
to the desperate expedent of planting long guns in the
ground at angle of 40 degrees for which he could find
she'll he had fuses which could be fired with saetv-
He had shears to mon his guns and chance alone
bed him to do by drifting large logs down with the
tide against Sumter Finally he had engine
put out fire in quarters walked carefully the parade
and could detect the marks of Only shells ground
but Maj Whiting told the orders the shells
the parapet to Illustrate any attempt work the
barbette guns Two of these were injured by shot and
overturned, apparently by Its reco there
injury done in0e of the the guns
works. The shell splisers had all disappeared carried
of, am told, trophies" Had Major Anderson been
properly provided, that he could once sent
the guns opened fire from those in barbette, thrown
shell and hot shot, kept relays all his casemates and put
out fires they arose from red hot shot SHE'LL he must
have earthly doubt have driven troops off Morris
Island burnt out Fort Moutre and senc the enemys
fire. His loss might have been considerable that of the
life lost by actual fire either side week hence