Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1862-04-19

177T a. 10 1-iiNF W M.
z Fort Pulaski, as was announced some days
ago by telegraph, surrendered. on FfldAy after
/. noon. Abe lI.h instant This fort Is situated oD
! cockspur Island. which Is separated from TJbee
1slsnd by creek or arm Of the Sea. The
channel into the Savannah river 10 very narrow
81 this point, and passes close to the gunsof the
fort, which was the outpost Of the deienses oi
Savannah. The walls Of the fort are built Of
hard gray brick, and are nine feet In thick
ness, and were thought to be strength and
aolidity suiicient to resist any projectiles' The
rebels bOasted that the Union forces could
. neither take, starvs nor pass this fort.
The llsh Of April, 1862, when Fort Pulaski
was surrendered TO, or "repossessed" BY the
Union forces, was the anniversary Of the attack
on Fort Sumter. And the news Of this surrend
er. Of Fort Pulaski was received by US on the
sls.h inst, the anniversary Of that day on which
President LIEooLN issued bis proclamation call
ing for seventy five thousand volunteers, stating
.ha. the first service which they would probably
be called upon 10 perform, would be "tO repos-
ssss the forts, places and property seized from
the Union"
Several of these forts and places seized BY
the rebels have been "fepOssessed," but none
Of equal strength and importance with Fort
Pulaski. It's capture is the result Of plan
long since put in operation and now crowned
with triumphant success. As long ago as De
cember last, Capt. DAVIS, in command Of an
exploring party from Port Royal, examined
back channel By which Fort Palaski could be
completely isolated from Savannah. TnIs
channel was taken possession Of by naval
force, AID batteries we're erected on the islaDds
asoye and in the rear Of the fort SJme six
weeks ago the fort was invested, and it's anal
reduction only became question OF time.
Finding themselves entrspped. the rebels
proposed to surrender'on conditions. Bat Gen.
eral SHERMAN demanded On unconditional sur
render, and threatened to open FIRE il they re-
fused. Afterward, General HUATER, |. SCENE,
vas equally uncompromising. and did actually
open Rfe With such efec. that the rebel COM
mander Of the fort signaed to bis Confederate
friends at Savannah, that "no human being
could stand upon the parapet for moment"
The Savannah rebels offered hundred thou
sand dollars as q reward for reacuiDg the garri
con in the fort, but no one was found bOld
enough to venture on 60 pefilOus an erraud.
The bomoArdment of the fort must have been
terrific. Il is reported by the rebel officer in
command that over q thousand bomb shells ex.
ploded in the fort, and that all the barbette guns
outside and three of the cAsemate guns were
dismouuted. Il Is stated in the SAvann III Re
pablleGa, that seven breaches we're made 10 the
sou.h wall by the National battery of eight
Parott guns. II would seem from this that the
old fOrti6eAtioDs of stone and brick are utterly
poKerless ag 1inst rifed shot aud shell. Bat it
is thought that it was only the embrssure',
which are fise feet through, that we're pierced
by the concal balls. Tue walls Of the fort are,
ss already stated, nine feet In thickness, and
the Parrot guns used were but thirty-six
Founders.
Betseen Fort Pulaski and Savannah there
are 10 fOrtifcatlons of any consequence. Tnat
city, il desired, may be easily captured. But
according to the Presidential programme at the
operiDg Of the war, the great object 10 "to re-
possess the iors, places and property seized from
the Uaion.' We DO not want TO use our forces
In large numbers to occupy and hold large
cities, bat the forti6cAtiOEs and forts which
command the approaches to them.
We have nov obtained possession Of the
strongest and most important forts on the South
ern coast. The movements and preparations,
already in progress, will now be doubtless
urged forward for obtaining like possession Of
Forts Sumter AID Moultrie, which defend Char
lesion halbor Fort Morgan, which blocks up
the entrance to Mobile, and Forts Pike, Wood,
Jackson and 81. PHILIPPE, that close the en-
trance to Lake PonchartrlaI and the Mississippi.
The possession Of these, with that of Fort Ma
con, near Beaufort, whose surrender is daily
expected, will render the blockade Of the South.
etn coast "effectual" beyond all dispute or
eavil.