Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-04-14
Your obedient servant,
b. w. HALLEcK, General-i Chief.
what the Rebels think OF their d,
fencea.


The Richmond Enquirer of a recent date
thus describes Charleston and its defences
Coming, as it does, from a rebel writer
some allowance is due to some parts of the
story =
Charleston is situated on a low ,avsl
point of land, at the junction of Goonsr
and Ashley rivers. No portion of the citv
IS moro than twenty feet above the tide ~
that upon approaching it from the bnrbor
ITS buildings and the beautiful spires Of its
churches seem to rise directly from the
water. The Cooper river joins Ashley at n
right angle from the north, aud the oonti,,.
uatlon of the latter river, running nearly
due east, forms the lower harbor and hay
OF charleston, which widens praduaIIy
from two to five miles to its mouth. distant
ABOUT ten miles from the CITY. On ths
opposite side of the Cooper river. where
u debouches into the harbor a
short mile from the CITY. is
castle Pinckney, a small work. bn,
mounting some heavy guns. Nearly on.
poslte, on the southern side of the hsrbor
on James Island, about two miles mi5Vvav
between SulllVan's and James Islands Is
FORT Sumter, and directly northwari Off
on Sntllvan's Island, at the distance of two
thousand yards, is Fort Moultrie. Between
these two forts is the only channel for
vessels to approach the city. Fort Snmter
mas three tiers of guus, and under the MD
government ranked as a fertilization ot
tue second class, 10 the extent of the Woke
and the strength of its armament: bnt It
WAS constructed in very superior man.
ner, and was supposed to be invulnerable
AZ the time to the effects of any naval ord
nance then in use. It's reduction hv Sontt,
carolina. IN 1861, was effected BIZ hot shot
from Fort Moultrie setting FIRE to the
wooden roofs of the capacious BUILDINGS
allotted for officers quarters, by which
Anderson and his garrison were literalIv
roasted out. Care has been taken. in the
reconstruction of the buildings, to avoid
all chance for repetition of such n bsr.
oecne. Fort Moultrie is a work of inferior
rank but is admirably situated for dea!.
ing offensive blows upon an approaching
The principal entrance to the harbOe is
through Ship Channel, the onter bS OI rs rs
which is distant southeast from, No.. g.
ter about six miles. Shortly after crS co..
the bar the enemy's vessels will com, S9T ~,
der the FIRE of the batteries ON Jobnss Is-
land, near the parallel to which the cban-
ne! runs 10 westerly direction for tv,o
mlles. At then makes an angle uortbvor5
running for more than mile 6irec rtly :" ~
wards Forts Sumter and Moultrie. Aftsr
passing the former it turns TO the west
aud passes beneath the Notifications. d.
rectly under their guns, and then bends to
the southwest, in which direction + an
proaches Fort johnson for upwards of too
miles, while on the right it is under the |
IRE of Castle Piuckney. 1t is not until the
enemy siiences or passes all these works |
and Others which will announce them selves |
at the proper time, that he will be able to
occupy Cooper and Ashley rivers, and
ea .,S o3at1eston at the mercy OF the shot
Whatever uncertainty prevails 40 90 az
Abllity of Notifications to resist the in ;m ,u
US Of the formidable projectiles hurled nv
. teGera! gunboats, there can be no tlopht
hat the inyulnerability of the turr rated
aonsteFs viii be tested on this occasion bT
iseEsFeF ordeal than any which they have
.