The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1863-06-25
From the Richmond EHquirer.l
Rebel account of the Defenses of Charles

ton.
Charleston Is situated on a low. level point of
land, at the junction Of Cooper and Ashley rivers.
No portion OF the city Is more than 20 feet above
the tide, 50 that upon approaching, it from the
harbOr its buildings and the beautiful spires of
its churches seem 10 rise directly from the water.
The Cooper river Joins the Ashley at a right angle
/ from the north, and & e continuation Of the latter
river, running nearly due east, forms the lower
BAY and harbOr of Charleston, which widenS
gradually from two 10 five miles to its mouth,
distant about ten miles from the city. On the
! opposite side of the Cooper river. where it de-
bOuches into the harbor, Il short mile from the
CITY. is Castle Pickney, 4 small work. bat mount
ing some heavy guns. Nearly opposite on the
southern side Of the harbOr, on Jafnes Island,
about > miles distant, Is Fort johnson. About
i miles from the city. midway between Sullivan's
and james Islands, is Fort Sumter, and directly
nOrthward Of it, and SullIvan's Island, at d dis
lance of :, 900 yards, is Fort Moultrie Between
these two forts is the only channel for vessels 70
approach the city. Fort Sumter has three tiers
of guns, and under the old Government, ranked
a ratification of the second class, in the extent of
the works and the strength of its armement, but
it was constructed in "A very Superior manner,
and was supposed To be invulnerable at the time
to the effects of any naval ordinance then IN use.
Its reduction by South Carolina, in 1851, was
effected by hot shot from Fort Moultrie setting
fire TO the wooden roofs of the capaci6us build
ings allotted for officers quarters, by which An
derson and his garrison We're literally roasted out.
Care has been taken in the recOnstructiDn OF the
buildings, to avoid all chance for a repetition of
such IA barbecue. Fort Moultrie is a work of in
ferior rank, but it is admirably situated for deal
ing offensive blows upon an approaching enemy.
The principal entrance to the harbor is through
Ship Channel. the outer bar of which is distant
southeast from Fort Sum tel, about q miles. Short
ly after crossing the bar, the enemy's vessels viii
come under the fire Of the batteries on Johns
Island, near and parallel to which the channel
runs in Il westerly direction for = miles. 1t then
makes an angle northward, running for more
than Il mile directly toward Forts Sumter and
After passing the former, It turns to
the west and passes beneath the fortifcations.
directly under their guns, and then bend3 to the
southwest, in which direction it approaches Fort
Johnson for upward of = miles, while: ON the
it is under the fire of Castle Pincktey. 1t
is not until the enemy silences or passes ali these
works, and others will announce themselves ut
the proper time, that he will be able to:occupy
and Ashley rivers, and place Charleston
1t the mercy Of the shot and she'll of his iron
Whatever uncertainty prevails as to- the ability
If Notifications to resist the impetus of he for
nidable projectiies hurled by the Federal gun
there can be no doubt that the invulnera-
,ility of the turreted monsters will be tested on
his occasion by IA severer ordeal than any to
which they have been heretofore subjected, and
Dupont will find a different entertain
nent in running the gauntlet of Forts Sumter
nd Moultrie, and johnson and Pinckney, from
hat furnished by the miserable abortion, mis-
batteries of Port Royal. so pregnant of
iSgrace and disaster To South Carolina.