, 1863-08-08
INTERESTING FROM JAMES
RIVER.
Fort Dnr1Inx-Its Construction and
SfrenEtll-The 1rou-CladB at ik1eIl>
mDNQs .'-

(concspondenceN. 7. Herald, Aug. 5th.1
Yesterday there came Into our lines Ut
Bowers Hlll, near Portsmouth, man In the
uniform Of rebel soldier He was imne-
tn Norfolk, where he made detailed state
ment Of all he proteseed to know. His name
b. gave u.s. VIM. J. Turner, of Portsmouth,
Va, and stn.eo that ho was one Of the glrr1.
Navy Yarl on the i7th Of April 1s65s On
board the rebel ateamer Raleigh, sailing up
the james river to Mulberry Island, wiierts
the vessel was anchored, and he was detained
for some time Hc remained on her until the
middle # June 1868, and then was transferred
to Fort Darling, where be remained until the
9Th Ct July, 1853. Here he remained until
few days ago, when he and q hoy M ned Theo-
lore Reynolds received fur1onghs to visit
friends in Norfolk county. The moment,
however, that he found himself Without the
rebel lines, he determined to desert; so he,
according to his Own statement, tore up his
futlough and started for Bowers Hill, where
ht delivered himself MP to our troops
IN bis description Of Fort Darling to Gen.
Nsglee he stated that it Is o perfectly square
work Of sand, three-fourths Of it being en-
tiye1y uncovered and quite weak, while the
remainder, which is most like to be- exposed
to the shells Of olr gunboats, Is plated with
railroad iron, rooted ind casemated. Below
this tort, on the bluffs, he further states. that
the enemy has mounted guns in most pc.
cA1sA AIaa4es., Aoies eou6H0aI reaenptlny
rifle pits, though, ct course, . little larger,
hare been dug, guns mounted therein to some
depth In the earth, md ports dug through
the solid soil of the bluff In their front. OF
course theee guns have not much range up or
down the river; but their presence would be
thinks they might easily be taken by a land
attack. The number Of: guns thus casenated
BY natural protection Ia a1x. The armament
Of Fort Darling consists Of six guns also
three eeyeu.inch, .rihed, and three mounted
en- 6ar6ehe. The garrison Is composed Of the
United artillery, sailors and marines, to the
number Of about ninety effective men only.
Seven Of these had deserted before Turner
left. 01."-7
The rebel steamer Richmond (lrou.clad,} he
informs US, is completed and in lighting trim
This vessel, It seems, has ayesy effective arm
ament, # this deserter's story is to be be-
lieved; for, according to his assertions, In
late trial, she threwa . solid shot clean through
eight inches Of iron plating with . sixteen
inch oak, backing. Il this be true she may
their past experience the rebels will be 10th
to court fight with our inyinciblc little
"cheese boxes" It is pity Tint they do not
send her down 40 that we might inspect the
monster infinitely utter her capture for I, for
one, an exceedingly anxious to view one Of
'tAefe Is: the "ladies' gunboat" Virginia, and
the new vessel, the Chlckahominy, which is
designed for On Iron-clad The wood work
on the latter is all completed, and she only
awaits her armor to be In an effective condi-
ton.
The iron clad Richmond, the only one Of
the three vessels which il In state Of CON.
ptet1on, has four guns. q crew Of one hundred
and ffty men, and Is under the command Of
Captain Peg1am, Of the rebel navy Captuin
S. 8. Lee commands the garrison at Fort
Darling and the defences thereabouts. The
man; states, as; the reason why the Virginia
.nnd the ChickahomlnY have not yet received
their ar1nor, that the Tredegar Iron Works ia
Richmond were burned, as was there sup
posed, by the Union men Of that city, some
three months ago, and have not since bAcnre-
built, although the work Is now going On aud
Is nearing completion.
The river, lie states, Is completely blocked
up with 1ow on TOW of poles, behind which
are sunk all the old available vessels, while
the interstiees are firmly packed with stone:
One little passage only Is LEFT clear, and thas
runs under the yery guns OF Fort Datiins:
md will at most admit the passage o. but
light draught tugs.