New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1862-02-14
DEFEScEs OF TIaE cIrYF AVN NIVER,l

IN
i Avery interesting communication, signed g 4
Citizen, respecting the defenees Of New Orleans
appeared Ia the Bulletin Of yesterday morning
Perhaps the writer % little too sensitive, but a
the snbjectis one Of absorbing interest, and a
n manyof the suggestions put forth are really ex
celient; We propose to glance at two or three 3
the points presented. That large number Q
4 gnnboats have been constructed, and are in pro
cessof construction on the Ohio and Upper Missis
sippi rivers, is proposition too clear to admit Q
doubt. Our recent Tennessee river experience dc
monstrates that and that their ultimate destina
tion, u they can pass Columbus, is down til,
Father of Waters, is q point equally certain. Wha
is said the upper rivers is true as regards tht
Northern dockyards. All are engaged, night ana
day. n building all kinds Of craft. Of shallow IS
/ well as deep draft, Of wood and Of wood and
iron, in order TO annoy, capture and plumber such
portions Of the coasts of the South % may be &C.
cessible to their marandng expeditions All this
we know, for the Aholtionists have made no secret
Of their intentions. Two months ago they pub.
lished that they were going to ascend the Cumber-
land and Tennessee rivera in gunboats. So far as
Il the Tennessee is concerned they have redeemed
their promises to the letter. When they attempt
NE Mississippi We opine different tale win Be
Itsid ss5 J, \ 81. ss5ss a # y
While We agree with GA Citizen ), that all
means Of defence should be promptly brought to
Ebeat, and think that gnnboat building should be
pu4hed forward with III practicable rapidity, and
deeply regret the inefHeiency which has character
The naval dep artnent Of the Cover nment, NE
% not believe that any vessels Of the enemy built
Or to be built. can pass our forts at Charleston
| Savannah, Mobile or New Orleans. We hold thai
these great fortifcations are impregnable to any
force the enemy can bring against them Aand as
long they remain intact it will beinpessible for
| the foe to- make important permanent conquests.
StA, plenty Of gunboats, Of the most approved de-
script shonld have been constructed long ago.
adequate to the proper defence Of our shallow
lakes, inlets and bayous, and we doubt not they
wonld have been. constructed, if the Confederacy
had been blessed with Secretary of the Navy at
all equal to the duties Of his high position. But,
situated as we are, We must make the most we
can out Of luntoWard rcumstances. NJ
Speaking of our means of defence the cores.
Epondent Of the Bulletin says: n
We have those means IN tie greatest abundance
and have only TO stretch out and grasp them, The
| number Of small gunboats, capable Of resisting
shot must be built in all our ports, with apparatus
to grapple with the iron vessels Of the enemy, bore
them through and sink them, f they cannot pc
boarded. There is no time to be lost. We have
abundance Of means, viz: labor and materials If
the labor cannot be commando let us ci6se aa our
places of business, and every citizen set at work
. some in building machinery and boats, others in
getting ont immense quantities Of timber, which
our forests can easily be made to furnish, while
others employ themselves in producing provisions,
clpthing and other necessaries for the laborers.
Alltrue; and all that is suggested would be very
easy of accompli shment # the proper Department.
at Richmond would second the motion with pafri
otto zeal and energy.
The following paragraphs are Interesting !: II Z,
Martello Towers should be constructed at every
important point, and we have the time to build
them and casenate them 30 as to protect the gar
risons. Let US have several lines of defence, 30
that 1t one is takenfwe can fall back to another.
Let put our shoulders to eWheel, for our Gov
ernment has been too long awaiting help from our
friends on the other aide Of the Atlantic. Unless
we help ourselves we can expect help from neither
God or man. ss ~ Es8 IA Al
Besides Maftello Towers, no time should be lost
IN driving several rows Of piles across the bars of
the Rigolets, Manchac, Barrataria, the Atchafa-
laya, Teche and the shallow streams leading to the
Gnf. The spiling TO be defended wherever towers
can he erected, for towers cannot be captured I'M
less by regular seigesor assault and will enable
@riaeMen to pick OF such of the enemy as will have
ose themselves in their endeayors to remove
the distractions. 44 sG 5s5 3$s ;%$ I'LL @ 5#tS
Speaking OF casemating reminds Us that we have
been frequently asked whether the various forts
that have been erected within the past few months
have been properly casemated and il not, whe-
stlier they would be- anything but untenable (fos
any length Of time) slaughter pens if exposed to
the fire Of the enemy's gunbeats? We are unable
to answer the question. We hope everything has
been made as secure as possible; and that, if our
coasts are attacked, the old story Of engineering
incompetency, as displayed in South ard North
Carolina ana Tennessee, win not be repeated in
Louisiana. 4
We rdo not apprehend much danger Of an attack
'fremshe sea. We think we can successfully beat
the enen,yef if he approaches from the seaward.
The only real danger we apprehena comes from
the Upper Mississippi. If Columbus is inlpregna.
BILE and we are assured by those who ought to
know, that the batteries there are tremendous in
metal and duly FASCINATED and no gunboats from
Cairo can possibly get by the valley Of the Mis-.
sissippiis secure, no matter how many thousands
Of the enemy may manage to get below, either on
the Tennessee or Arkansas side, or on both sides>
Without the assistance Of their fleets, the further
they marched the worse they would be off, Every
additional mile from their base Of operations, in
hostile country, would only serve to weaken them
But, if anything is wanting at Columbus, or else.
wherein bis department, we are quite sure that
II will be speedily supplied by Gen. Beauregard;
and If he is allowed an opportunity, he will soon
make the weak places strong, and the strong
places impfegnable,
The gunboat incursions down the Cumberland
and Tennessee rivers, the cutting off Of railroad
commnni cation in Tennessee and North Carolina
II omplished, and oil the damage the Burnside
and other naval expeditions might infict would