Newbern weekly progress., 1862-04-26
The Fan of Fort Pulaski.

surrender of Fort Pulaski to the Union
forces is in many respects one of the
most significant and important events
of the war. The forts heretofore
captured, either on the coast or inland,
were merely earthworks, of recent CON
struction aud without easements, but
Fort Pulaski is one OF the strongest and
most scientifically constructed forts in
the country. and was deemed by the
rebels irnpregnable. And so it doubt
less would be if attacked by ships, and
with smooth bore ordnance, bnt the fire
in the rear and rifled cannon were not
dreamt Of when this and dssimilar forts
were planned and Sbnilt. In military
fcifeles on both. sides of the ocean this
Feaptareawin create unusual iatarest, as
Fit Is the first real trial of the new rified
projectiles against q properly construct
ed and very strong fort. One rihed
gun was used by the rebels. ut Fort
Sumter, and the shot pierced the wall
every time. Gen. Bragg had several
in position at Pensacola, but as Fort
Pickens was defended on the land side
by immense sand and earthworks in
addition to the stone ramparts, they
We're ineffective. At Fort Pulaski.
however, the test Was erything that
"a military expert could desire and
stone walls alone, as against rifed ord
nance are found to be not a perfect
means of defence. 1t will thus be seen
that, even without iron-clad floating or
stationary batteries to assail them, the
great improvement in projeotiles. has
left our modern Notifications behind
the age. .-.
The capture of this fort is, however,
especially important to us, as it places
at our mercy the commerce OF a great
southern city, and relieves the large
blockading squadron OH that coast
No vessel can enter the harhor of Sa-
vannah without coming within q hum
dred yards of the guns of Fort Pillas-
XII, and the port can thus be closed
even to the smallest vessels without
the aid of single gunboat. The NOR
al effect of the capture upon the peo-
pie Of the whole southern coast must
be very disheartening. If there is no
safety in earthwork forts, as at Port
Royal, nor in strong stone forts, such.
as Pulaski, what can be depended up
ons FortSnnter, that defends Charles
tSn; Eark Aiafean, that apposas the
entrance to Mobile, and Forts Pike,
Wood, Jackson, and st. Philip, that
close the entrance to Lake Pontchar-
train and the Mississippi, will be the
easier captured now that the strongest
fort of all has been so easily overcome.
AS for Fort Macon, few weeks, if not
days, will tell the story of it's surren-
der.
Fort Pulaski guards the approaches
to Savannah, and is one of the most
important fortifcations erected on the
southern coast. 1t is built on Cock
spur Island, at the mouth of the Sa-
vannah river, and distant about four
teen miles from the city. In 1881 the
construction of the fort was commenced
under the superintendence OF Captain,
now General Mansfield, commanding
at Newport News at the present time.
The work was completed few years
ago at cost ofnearly a million dollars.
The fort is of pentagonal form, and
covers several acres. The walls are
about forty feet high, and present two
falls toward the sea, with ranges oftire
at opposite angles. The fort
has cmbrasures on the front and chan
mel side for one row of guns under
easements, with an addi-
tional tier of guns en- 6ar'bette. The
salient positions and approaches on the
rear Of the fort have no embrasures for
heavy cannon, but are thoroughly en-
tiladed by musketry holes pierced in
the walls. The full armament of the
fort was to consist, OH the lower tier,
of sixty-fve 80 Founders, and the up
per tier of fifty-thrce "a Founders, four
1S-pounder fanking howitzers, one 13
inch 1nortar,.twelve6 6-inch columbiads,
and seven 1O-inch mortars-altegether
$50 guns. The columbiacs were heavy,
to a long range, and adapted
to use spherical shot Or shell. The in
terror of the fort was well supplied
with large furnaces for heating shot, |
quarters, barracks, ammunition, &C.
A wide ditch surrounds the work,
which, when dry, can be used by sharp |
shooters with as much effect as rife |
pits, or could, if necessary, be easily |
Hooded. Beyond the ditch is a glacis, I
which is enfiladed by the guns from
the lower or easement row of the for
tifcations. The fort can easily accom-
modate eight hundred men, although
one half of that number could if their
supplies of ammunition, &C., lasted,
defend it against large
force. Vessels Of large size. in APP /
preaching Savannah are obliged t.
como within one hundred yards of the
fort, at least, and at this point the guns
If large calibre can be made to concen-