Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1862-05-19
Land Batteries and GunbOsts.


The repuse OF the Yankee set below this city Thurs
day morning. by the incomplete and unprotected bate
RES at Drewys Bluff, is hopeful prelude to the con-
tct coon 10 occur at that point. The successful
resistance BY Fort Wright to the passage of the enc
mics boats down the Mississippi protraced as it is, is
another encouraging circumstance. History abounds
with signal Illustrations Of the superiority OF shore bat
teries over naval ornaments Some Of these We nd re-
ferred TO in late issue of the Mobile Register, and as
the question of paramount interest just at this
time to the citizens OF Richmond, We avail ourselves OF
the REGISTERS citations They well calculated to en-
courage Us in resoute and unyiediug defence OF our
city II be said that naval ornaments are greatly
improved since the occurrence Of the events alluded TO-
let it be remembered that the means of resistance and
def, nee are equally improved.
10 1874, two British ships q "A and 80, attacked
snail tosn in the bay Of AarteO, Corsica, which was
armed with enc gun in barbeite and garrison OF 80
men After a bombardmeut Of two and half hours,
these ship, we're forced haul OIL with considerable
damsge and loss of life The little received no
injury and is garrison unframed. Here one gun
ashore was successful against l0d ahost.
In 1897, Nelson attacked the little Inefficient batter
les Of Santa Cruz, with eight ships aud four hundred
guns. He was repulsed with a lo's OF $50 men, while
the garrison received no damage single ball from
the land sunk one OF his ships with every soul on board
In l7ss French iotila OF % briggs aud gunbOa's,
manned with Z ,0OU men, attacked q small English re-
doubt on the Island Of AArcou which was armed with 10
guns the largest as and the smales FOUNDERS, and
rsrrisoned With 900 men. The result Was retreat o.
the French Get with great loss Of life, seven OF their
vessels sunk and one captured.
Il IsOI, Admiral Ssmlursz With an English hset car
ryiug 5O2 guns attacked the Spanish and French de-
fences Of Agesrss The French land battery mounted
only y guns. the disparity was reduced by French
locs sa9a to 1876 English guns shpboArd against y
On shore. standing the inequality Of nearly Il
70 l. the battery compelled the English to retreat with
great loss Shortly after this the French and Spanish
cts attacked the sans English squadron with force OF
three to ops but met With signal defeat Yet land
battery Of y guns had whipped the came victorious
Sect
L. 1903, An Eaglh garrison near Port ROYAL Bay,
ELd loo men AID IS guns, replied French squadron
o. two "A gun ship, hgate and brig assisted by
land attack o. 200 men. Toe rsdOubt did not Io5e
J1An, and the French los. fifty men.
II 1876. Freroh battery Of only two guns and
twenty &c men, resisted British eighty gun ships
and two lrgstes TIE carriage OF Of the land guns
aed on the s5c5ud Ere, so thA. the action Tough.
9Th only one gun Here a single piece OF ordnance
aid twenty five sgans: naval force Of one hun
deed and dty guns aud thirteen hundred meu. The As
-ilauts lost thirty men, the eighty gun ship vas
disabled -he the garrison unhsrmed. In 1908,
French land battery Of three guns drove cF English
,ev,uty.four and bomb vessel
In 1874 when the E1glish advanced against Antwerp
they established battery Of two guns ig bend OF the
Folder Dyke-the armament was long IS FOUNDER and
81, inch hoFiz,r. TIE French determined to dslodge
the English and dropped down with the tide eighty
gun ship snd anchored her of the Flanders shore SIX
hundred Yards from the battery. Only the Is FOUNDER
could orousht to bear upon the ship. TIE garrson
had 10 leave their gun every brcaisde but whenever
tue FIRE sllckened for moment they spraug TO their
gun AID managed to give at least one shot for eighty
Tus strange combat lasted for five hours, when the ship
had to give up tue 81; with forty killed aud wounded
lsr commander among the latter The redOubt lost one
killed two wounded.
Oar limited space aimonishes us that must stop
with the record before We have fairly begun it
The whole history OF guouery shows that land bat
teries are invncble by snip bItteries The attach
on OOpenhag'n in 1901, the passage oil the Oar
d,usles 10 1907, and toe attack on Algers in 1916
ara noted ielts Of the Elgish navy but they not
even exceptions prove the rule Copenhagen not
conquered by the ret OF Nelson bat by his diplomacy
when he on the verge of ruin. Lord EImouth, at
Agiers, indebted to lucky land breeze, which
abled him to escape destruction at q lucky moment
while the Of Admiral LuckWorh in the passage OF
the Dirdaness s only one of wonderful, escape favored
by strong cIrrent and lar wind. Oh: of eleven sai
only two escaped The terribly cut up by the
shore batteries If tho latter had been properly prspsr
ed and manned, Gen JOmni says the expedition would
have cost the English their whole squadron
Surely, examples Ike these should give US confidence
10 ability to defend this beautiful Capital 30 shut in
aud hedged round by natural muniments, and so worthy
of the most heroic struggle.
1t has been deliberately resolved aud openly pro.
claimed that Richmond is to be defended to the last
Let be defence that will shine in history by the side
Of Leyden aud SeragOssa.