Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1863-08-29
THE EVENING STAR.
GENERAL GiLMoRE,s SIEGE WORKS.

GENERAL GiLMORE'S SIEGE WORKS.
The Morris Island correspondent of the New
York Times gives the following description OF
Gen. Gilmore's siege works
THE WORKS ON MORRIS ISLAND.
As the works on Morris lsland-both for Of
fpnslye and defensive Experimentation mate
rial for an important portion Of the history Of
the siege, / shall endeavor to describe with
minuteness their positions and form OF coa
stTuction. In doing SO will commence with
The paraiiels-thr frs: works erected by Gen
Gilmore after taking possession OF the Island
The parallels, considered by themselves, are
three in num Der, each OF them extending from
the beach OF the right to the marsh on tie lett
The first is distant from Fort wagner one
thousand anT two hundred yards, ana from
Fort Sumter ABOUT two miles. The second and
principal parallel is so constructed that It's
left is six hundred and seven yards from Wag-
ner. and the right seven hundred AID ftty
yards. The third and last parallel is four hun
dred and twenty 1--we yards from Wagner. The
parallels are not built directly at right angles
ith the length or the Island, but in IN obi i0ue
direction, the highest points resting On me
marsh
The topography of the Island maze j, naces
sary 10 give them that direction about enc half
vi The sni ..ce being !n4rshy ground. The r. fis-
pts. which form the foundation CT the first
parallel, were thrown Cp shortly after our
troops gained possession OF the lower par, OF
the Island, under the superintendent Of the
eng inser officers OF General Gilmore's staff
They were constructed in a single night and
used first IL the attack on Wagner on tue 18th
OF July. The interstiCeS were subsequently
allied III, and the Inst parallel erected. 1t IS
situated TWO miles from Lighthouse Inlet, is
225 yards III length, and has been The means Of
enabling much valuable service to be perform
ed, although during the action, in eonsequen e
81 the advanced works, it has been of secondary
Importance.
The next step taken was the building OF ap.
proaches or trenches which should connect the
nrsI and second parallels. That work was
finished Ii L brief space Of time, ,he worhman
first parallel. Next was constructed the sec
pnd and ri;.in parallel, used both for offensive
and defensive operations. 1t has a length of
,f25 yards, and, perhaps,ot itself, may De con-
sji,rcd as simply q defensive work, rs the siege
guns which are used in the offensive are mount-
ed on ea-thN Crks just at the rear. Beyond the
third parallel which is the shortest OF them all,
being put Regards IN length. It's distan % 1r ON
Fort Sumter is $3.50 yards. The third parallel
- the adTar 9 WORK, and is used to protect the
sl&rpshoOters.
All :he vgor;ss beyond the first parallel were
constructed under tie immediate supervision
OF Captain T. Il. Brooks, OF General Gilmores
staff. The upper end of the Island was form
eTfy used as quarantine ground, and when
Csgglpg the trenches between forty and fifty
cead bodies were eXhumed. In erecting the
works The workmen were obliged to perform
their labors under the cover of darkness. The
Rebel sharpshooters were constantly on the
aieri, and the moment q man showed the least
portion of his person above The trenches during
tie day he was sure to De fired at. The enemy
was supplied with telescope rifles, by means
q which ne made some very excellent shots.
Apart rom the parallels, and at the lett OF
them, are ear:hworks which contained guns of
heavy calibre. Their mean distance from Sum-
tsE is 1, 30 yards. II is very formidable
work and its guns did a vast deal Of execu-
tor.
Still further 70 the left, and on the marsh, is
another "arthwork which faces Sumter. 1t is
reached by means of small creek which
passes II At the left and flows into Lighthouse
Inlet. Il was the last OF the Notifications con.
strU Led, ana It's sudden appearance one morn.
ing must have caused considerable surprise in
The snemy's camp, he little suspecting that his
zoe would venture to mount guns on that par
ncular spot.