Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1862-03-22
IMPORTANT FROM COLUMBUS
DISCOVERY OF AN ELABORATE INFER.
NAL MACHINE.

Especial Correspondence of the Chicago "Timcs.''l
COLUMBUS, Ky, March 9.-The Rebels
who have been stationed here seem to have
been possessed with the spirit Of the devil
himself. Not only have their barbnrities and
atrocities, which have been visited on the head
OF any luckless wight who was the least sus.
pected Of being anything but a repk Seces.
sionist, been unparalleled, but the means used
for the destruction Of our army, in the event
Of our beating them back inside their works
in fight, are not surpassed bv any heather
nation known 10 exist. The bluffs on the rorth
end OF their works ure from two hundred end
fifty to three hundred feet high, and extend
up the river at that height some distance
Outside their works for some distance is a
sloping plain, which has been cleared of oil
trees and underbiusb, and would be the only
approach Tor our infantry in case we should
come TO hand to.hand fight.
After two days explorations for Internal
machines and to discover where the bluffs
bad been mined, as was reported to 5ave been
doue, Capt. W. A. Scmiddt and company, OF
the 18th Regiment, discovered ridges of new
earth, similar to ridges which are formed by
covering up gas or water pipes in o city, and
traced them to cavern. Eflecting an en-.
trance he found strong, rude, wooden frame,
side this, with the assistance of q light he
found implements similar to those used in o
telegraph Office. with wires running in a dozen
different directions. Following the raised rows
OF earth he soon came to a spot where some.
thing had evidently been buried. Digging
down some FIVE feet be came to q large iron
cask, absut three feet high, and foot and a.
half through, in shape, as near os can be
described, TO well formed pear. with an iron
cap fastened by eight screws. Taking off the
cap were found grape, canister. and four eight
pound shells, surrounded by about two bush.
els of coarse powder.
On the bottom of the cask there was a wooden
box containing several batteries. with sub
stance impervious 10 water, connecting with the
cavern before spoken of. A dozen of these iron
? is or casks were thus united with this cavern
Half dozen of these cavPrns hnye been found,
and probably seventy five or a hundred of these
internal machines are thus buried in the earth,
some distance from the enemy's works; and the
time to be exploded would be when our infantry
ha driven them inside their works sentinel would
give the operator inside the cavern the signal,
and he would send the electric spark through all
the wires and decsmp. The result may be
imagined. Whole regiments could ihus 30 blown
up and sent to eternity, without even chance Of
escape. The discoveries as far made are all
on the north and northeast portions of their
works. Probably other parts of the works are
similarly mined. Fortunately their tiendsh
designs were di, covered in time ard no damage
has been done by soldiers who are constantly on
the lookout for discoveries, and might BY accident
have sent of the train.
Another class Of internal machines. called
torpedoes have been discovered anchored in the
river. They are round, about three feet long and
a foot and half in diameter, with one end taper
ing Off TO point.