Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-08-05
The FOrtiGcn.ious Around Richmond.

The FOrtificRsiOns Around Richmond.
Correspondence Of the New York Heraldl
The eonscnpfon act, and the other meas urc
} for the raising, srmihg and equipping of the
armies, have been completely successful, an
their attention, Just now, is directed to the TO
tifeation of Richmond, so as to make it impTee
nsble in any event They are accordingly Sun
rounding it with a Gordon of forts on ell side:
at distance of two or three miles from the city
} very much resembling the forts around Wash
lngton. Some of these were already built, bu
they are being enlarged and strengthened.
the language of the Richmond Enquirer, the
are convinced that they " must dig, dig. dig, c
Mcclellan viii dig into Richmond" OF thes
forts around Richmond there are no less thai
twenty-eight, although some of them are no
completed They are situated as follows, be
ginning on the north side Of James river, ives
OF Richmond, and coming around with the SUI
from left to right:
No. lon the high part of the old fai
grounds; not yet completed; work in progress
No. 2-On the new fair grounds, commanding
the approaches by way of the Deep Run turn
pike and the Bush Hill road, not completed
negroes at work on It ; northeast Of No. 4.
| No. 3-Ihree miles northwest of Richmond
very strong work completed north of No 2
No. 1.-Two and half miles nearly north o.
toe capitol, commanding the approaches by thc
Brook turnpike; east OF No. 3.
! No. 5-A little more than three miles north
| of the city commanding the approaches from
! Brook run bridge and Meadow bridge, north
east of No. A.
| No. Ga mile and a half nearly north of the
city; rather near the latter, but admirably stu
ated on a slope that can be swept for two miles
by its guns. This fort was built year ago ;
south Of No. 3.
| NJ, T,,o II b,Tc r,,;Iog ,.c~Eb of fba
/ capitol, between the Virginia Central railroad
and the Mechanicsville road built last fall
northeast of No g.
No. 8-Three miles northeast of the city,
commanding the approaches from the Meehan-
icsville bridge. This fort was built while Gen
eral McClellan's headquarters were on DR..
Curtis's plantation, only three miles east of it,
the ChickahOminy being between; northeast Of
No.7.
Ne. 9-Two and half miles northeast of the
city. east of the Mechanicsville road, and west
Of DR.. French's plantation. A beautifully fin
ished work, with outworks, abattis etc; com
menced last winter and finished early in the
spring; south of No. s
No l0-Nesrly four miles northeast Of the
capitol, commanding the approaches from several
foTds on the Chickaheminy. There is q large
magazine in this fort. Gen. Johnston passed
much Of his time here while the Union army was
encamped on the left bank of the ChicLahominy.
There were some guns in this fort then, which
used to throw shells at random toward the
ChickahOmiry; but they never did any damage.
The fort was hidden then by dense woods before
it : but these have been cut down during the last
six weeks. It is east Of No. g.
No. 1.-Two miles nearly east Of the city;
built nine months ago. It commands the ap-
proaches by the Nav Bridge road; southwest of
No TO-
No. I2-Three miles east of the city; com
manding the approaches from Woodbury. bridge
Immense gangs of negroes were employed on
this work, and it was built very rapidly, the
negroes working day and night, at the same
time that the engineer brigade was building
our bridges. 1t is believed to be very imperfect
in its construction, and Is east Of No H.
No. I3-ThTee miles nearly east Of the cap
itol work of great strength, and admirably
situated. There are some heavy guns in the
fort, and also some rhed guns, which, it is gaid,
carry ball four miles with accuracy, al Of
whica have been here since early in the spring.
There is also large magazine. 1t is southwest
of No. II
No. 1.-Two miles southeast of the city
commanding the turnpike from Williamsburg
a small but strong work, of admirable cons.TUc-
ton, south of No. 13.
No 15-TWo miles south of the city, on the
left bank of the James river unfinished, and
the work on it not progressing rapidly. It is
west OF No. IA.
No I6-Three miles southeast of the city, and
two miles west of the Seven Pines;" built
since the battle there, and men are still st work
on it. 1t is designed to command the approaches
from the Williamsburg stage road, and is east Of
No 10.
No. 17-More than three miles southeast of
the city, and nearly south of the latter work. It
the approaches by the Charles City
road and the Central road. The work on it is
still progressing. Il
No. 18-Four miles south of the city, on the
left bank Of the James river; unfinished.
No. 19-Four miles nearly south of the city,
and east of No. Is. It commands the New
market road and the Osborne turnpike. The
work on it is still progressing.
No 20-More than four miles southeast Of the
city, and east of No. 10. Il commands the Cen
trail road and the Newmarket road.
No. 21-Six miles south of the city; COM
msnding the Mill road. This is not a work of
any great strength. Crossing the river now, we !
come to
No. 22-Fort Darling-which has often been
described. It was commenced a. long ago as
April, 1861, as will appear from my letter from
published in the Herald Of May l, |
1861. This was the first mention ever made Of
O4t OdILuS III any pdpOis 4to JOoItIoL ID oCSU-
ralely described in that letter, it being partcu-
larly stated that on account of its position all
vessels sailing to Richmond have to pass 1t ;
that its guns can be fired down upon all vessels !
coming up the river, while no vessel can get its |
guns sufficiently elevated to FIRE at the fort !
Since the attack upon the fort by the Monitor
and Galena, on the 10Th of May, the fort has |
been greatly strengthened and the armament |
has been greatly increased.
No. 23-Si1 miles south of Richmond, on the |
right bank of the James river. Built since the |
attack on Fort Darling. Casemated, and has a
powerful armament, with guns trained to bear on
river craft.
No. 24-Immedistely south of the city, on
the right bank of the James river. Not finished, |
but work progressing.
No. 25-Three miles south of the city, com
meneed in April last.
No. 26-Three miles nearly south Of the city, /
and west of No. 25 Well situated.
No. 27-Three miles southwest OF the city. |
Work in progress.
No. 25-Three miles west of the city, on the
right bank of James river