Evening star., 1863-04-11
A Rebel Account of Defences of Charlie e>ton

From the Richmond Enquirer .
Charleston is situated on low. level point
OF land. ut the junction of the Cooper and ASH
ley Rivers No portion of the city is more
than twenty feel above the tide, so that upon
approaching upon The harbor its buildings aud
the beautiful spires OF its churches seem 10 rise
directly from the water. The Cooper River
JOINS the Ashley at right angle from the
Ncr.h, and the continuation Of the latter river.
running nearly due east. forms the lower hir-
Dor and bay OF Charleston, which widen grail
uaily from 10 : miles to is mouth distant
about 10 miles from the city On the opposite
side OF ihe Cooper river, where il debonches
into the harhor, a short mile from the eity s
Castle Pinkney, a small work, but mounting
some heavy guns. Nearly opposite, on the
southern side OF the harbor On James Island.
about two miles distant, is Fort johnson.
About four miles from the city, mid way bs.
tween SulliNans and James Islands, il Fort
Sumter, and directly north ward of il, on Sulli.
vans Island, at q distance of two thousand
yards. is Fort Moultre. Between these ,,yo
1orts is the only channel for vessels to an
preach the city. Fort Sumter has three tiers
Of guns, and uneer the old Government.
ranked rs fortification of the second class in
the extent OF the works and the strength OF its
armament but il was constructed in a yery
superior manner, and was supposed TO be in
Vulnerable at the time to the effects of any
naval ordnance then in use. It's reduction by
South Carolina, in 1861, was effected by hot
shot from Fort AIoultrie setting fire 10 The
wooden roofs of the capacious buildings allor-
ed for officer quarters, by which Anderson
~.
Care has been taken, in the reconstruction -
the buildings, 10 avoid all chance OF 4 repeti-
lion of such Il barbecue. Fort Moultrie is 4:
work OF inferior rank, but il is admirably si.u-
ated for dealing offensive blows upon an ap-
preaching enemy.
The principal entrance to the harbor is
through Ship Channel. The outer bar of VIII.
is distant southeast from Fort Sumter, about
six miles. Shortly after crossing the bar. .hn
enemy's vessels will come under the fire Of the
batteries on Johns Island near and parallel 70
which the channel runs in q westernly direction
for two miles. 1t then makes an angle north
ward, running for more than a mile directly
toward Forts Sumter and Moultrie. After
passing the former, il turns TO the west, and
passes beneath the fortiicauons, directly
under their guns, and then bends 10 the SOUTH
west, iii which direction it approa ,hes Fort
johnson for upward of two miles, while OF the
right it is under the fire Of Castle Pinckney. LIZ
is not until the enemy silences or passes ali
these works and others which will announce
themselves st the proper time, that he will he
able to occupy Cooper and Ashley Rivers, and
place Charleston at the merry OF the sho, md
shell of his iron clads..
Whatever uncertainty prevails as 70 tne
ability of Notifications to resist the impetus of
the formidable projectiles hurled by the Fede.
raj gunboats, there can be no doubt that the
lnyulnerability of the turreted monsters will
be tested on this occasion by a severer orde Il
than any to which they have been heretofore
subjected, and Admiral Dupont will find &
different entertainment in running the gauntlet
OF Forts Sumter and Moultrie, and johnson
and Pinckney, from that furnished by the
miserable abortion, misnamed batteries Of Port
Royal, so pregnant of disgrace and disaster to
South Carolina.