The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-04-18
Charleston Harhor.

8
On HAN sx
Charleston Harbor.
l am indebted to Captain Plat. of the
Coast Survey steamship Bibb, for NAM
moth chart OF Charleston harbor. and it's
surroundings, having on it, all the dis
tances from point to point, not only in the
haEbor and around the city, but out to- sea.
with the depth Of water Accurately noted at
al an Points. 1t also gives the location of all
the batteries and forts erected by, therebels
on Inc islands approaching the harbor.-
FROM this chart compile the following in
terestlng and accurate statements vi the
surroundings of Charleston:
=, what is termed Charleston Bar is q gen.
lie elevation of the bottom, extending
across the whole point of the harbor, 8
!ong and broad ridge Of sand, rendering
the water too shallow for the passage of
large vessels, except through three chan
nels, which were carefully buoyed and
marked out by the Government before the
rebellion, all Of which have been taken up
by the rebels. They have also cut down
the trees on the islands, which were used
by pilots as ranges for the channels, and
have thrown all obstacles in their power in
the way Of our entrance. With the aid of
the Coast Survey charts, and the still more
valuable personal services of Captain
Boutelle and Lieut.. Plat and the officers
OF the steamer Bibb, but little difficulty is
apprehended in finding these channels.
There are three channels through the
bar to Charleston, one, called the Ship
Channel, running in front of Morris Is
land, on the south side of the bar; the &C.
cond, the Swash Channel, in the centre; and
the third, Sullivan's or Maffit's Channel,
running along in front of Sulliyan's Island,
on the north side of the bar. The distance
Of Af< hos oh o1x, n
the bar to Fort Sumter is from four to five
miles; that by the Swash Channel, being
more direct, is less than four miles. Nor
ris Island 10 on the south side of the bar,
and is three miles long, from Lighthouse
Inlet to Cummings Point, which is in the
rear of Fort Sumter. At different points
along its three miles Of front it has four
heavy sand batteries, completely COM
manding the whole length of the Ship
Channel. At Cummings Point, it will be
remembered, the iron-clad battery is loca-
ted, which was so effectually used by the
rebels in their attack on Fort Sumter.
The harbor of Charleston, inside of Sum-
ter, is three miles long from Sumter to the
city front, and has an average width OF
nearly two miles. Fort Pinkney is on.
Shutters Folly Island Immediately opposite
the city, and at the mouth of Cooper river.
1t is q small stone structure, of no account,
and could be shattered to pieces by Is
inch shell. There are, however, numerous
sand batteries said to be located along the
shore within the harbor, commanding the
approaches to the city. There is also said
to be powerful fort located on the middle
ground, which is in the middle Of the har-
Dor, q mile and a half from Sumter and
from the city: The City Battery, public
promenade, similar to the New York Bat
terry, but much larger, is also said to be
mounted with heavy ordnance.
The location and form Of the city of
Charleston are very much like that of New
York, the Cooper river representing the
East river and the Ashley river the North
river. It's width from river to river is not
when once taken it can be easily held by
gunboats, stationed on these two rivers,
against any land force that might be bro't
against it. It can thus be cut off from all
communication with the mainland, like an
island, for military purpose.
Sulivan's Island forms the coast on the
north side Of the bar, and is three miles
There is very heavy battery on this island
and Beach Inlet, and several others along
the shore commanding thewhole of Suli-
vans or M&fits channel. no 7'A y r ~
Fort Moultrie thus commands the en-
trance to the harbor of the city, at the end of
Sullivan's Island, on the south side,
whilst Cummings Point battery, at the
end Of Morris Island on the south ssde and
directly opposite, holds a similar position,
the two points being in a direct Line just
one and half miles apart. All three of
the channels converge into one in front of
Fort Sumter, which stands precisely mid
way between Moultrie and the Cumnins'
er, in direct line between the two, but is To-
Gated about q half mile nearer to the city
than either Of them consequently its posi-
ton is at an angle three quarters Of mile
from the shore on the eihter side. y -
: What is termed Charleston Bar is not
generally understood by those not familir
with nautical matters. The entrance to
Charleston across this bar from the sea may
be ikened to a funnel, the small portion Of
the funnel commencing at Fort Sumter and
extending to the city. The sides of the large
portion of the funnel are formed on Sulli-
vans Island on the north side, and Morris
Island on the south side. The Charleston
Bar commences four miles to the seaward
of Sumter, and extends along the whole
large end of the imaginory funnel from
Sullivan's Island to Morris Island, dis
tance Of fully eight miles. The width of
this bar and shoales fully four miles from
the outer limits to Sumter, and eight miles
long. The distance from the entrance Of
Maffitt's Channel to the entrance of the
Swash Channel is over two miles and from
Swash Channel to Ship Channel nearly five
miles. These outer distances are bounded
by the deep waters of the Atlantic. The
greatest depth of water that can be carried
through these channels at high water is but
sixteen feet. ~ III "fsa et'.1 II
After reaching the vicinity Of Fort Sum-
ter, the depth Of the channel from here to
the city is very great, ranging from twenty
to fifty feet. E mtii
A ScOFching Letter from an East
VS. Tennessee Soldier. 90
From the Nashville Union. &
NV heart is overmuch burthened with
sorrow and trouble. My mother gave birth
to eight sons and four daughters, two of the
latter went home to rest, rs bright and en-