Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-02-17
The Situation and Defenses of Col um-
bus, Kentucky.


As this formidably fortified town is to be at
tackled or invested within few days by our troops
its situation and defcnses will be subject of in
terest to our readers ut this time. The CORES
pendent of the Boston Journal having obtained
accurate information, writes to that paper from
Cairo as follows: Dos
Columbus is a small town containing in times
of peace perhaps a thousand or twelve hundred
inhabitants. 1t is situated on the southern slope
of the bluff which here approaches the river, and
which, by presenting a solid front OF limestone,
has detected the river, and formed point"
it is called. As with nearly all the bluffs, there
is at its base a strip of low land between it aud
the river The bluff does not continue far, but
retreats as you descend the stream. Below the
town is Wolf Island. Opposite the town the bat
tleof Belmont was fought. The bluff at its high
est point is about seventy-fve feet high. In the
rear of the town and in rear OF the bluff there
were extensive forests and heavy timber, which
have been cut down---the rebels following the ex-
ample of our armyat Washington. Therailroad
extending to Memphis enters the town below the
highest point of the bluff through excavation
Is feet deep, thus adding to the natural defense
of the highest part The common highway lead
ing into the country to the little towns of Mos
COW, Mayfield, Feliciana. is near by.
of heavy guns on the bluff commanding the
river batteries beneath the bluff on the lowland,
a floating battery, submarine battery or torpe-
do, regular Notifications, with ditch counterscarp
and terreplein commanding the rear and more
breastworks of extended rifed pits. / have en-
deavored to reduce TO small scale, to permit the
printing the place with It's various defenses. You
NAV be able 70 obtain idea from it what our
army and Western navy will encounter. First
the water batteries. Batteries which but little
elevated above the water usually thus termed.
There are eighteen guns in battery on the low
land and bordering the stream. They are placed
on the low land TO prevent our boats running past
the town by hugging the Kentucky shore. If all
their guns on the bluff, we could run the
gauntlet, for the bluff is too steep 20 admit the
depression of the guns sufficiently 10 hit boat
close in shore. Second, the floating battery.
There is floating battery carrying several guns,
at the lower end of the town. The wharf boat
has been taken for this purpose, and strong bal
warks erected. 1t is moored in the stream Its
guns are IL and l6 Founders. Third, batteries
on the bluff. Ascending the bluff there are sew
eral works, the most important of which Is an
eartlrwork, polygonal in form, in which are
mounted three guns, which throw one hundred
and twenty eight pound shot. The great gun
that burst some months since. which the rebels
had christened Lady Polk, and which c'fme near
klilfng the silver nSlreu ngntlfg reOel DlshOp
Polk, was in this work. The work is in such
form that the moment Federal gunboat rounds
the point, the monsters will open their lips and
hold on to their eloquence long while. These
three guns command the river distance of near
~ four miles.
South Of this battery. running along the edge
of the bluff which here retreats from the river,
overlooking the town, is strong work com
handing the rear as well as the front. IL is a
large work, with ditch outside on the rear. The
guns overlooking the town would hardly be able
to open fire till the gunboats had passed the other
batteries, and ware abreast Of the town. Still
south OF this, b yond the railroad. commanding
a long stretch Of the river, is battery Of four
guns. tsss
The batteries defending the rear contain eight
guns overlooking the extensive region of fallen
timber and all the approaches from the north and
east. VA. eaft rs, H t1l fH
The rifle pit or breast work commences at the
edge of the bluff on the north, and continues TO
the railroad excavation. and along il to the work
already described, which overlooks the town.