Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-04-13

No. ,. on Sullivans Island. guns.
No. g. on Sullivan's Island. guns
No. I. OF Sulisan's Island, guns
No :, on Sullivan's Island. -four gums two of
them sixty four FOUNDERS, and two eight inch
mOrtaTs.
No. 10, sand battery Suilivan's Island q
guns, of which are eght.inch coluubiads, and
2 are rifed cannon.
Tho above guns, together with those in Fort
Moultre, command the main ship channel lead
ing to Charleston, Motifs ChaDnal end the
Swash Channel. The guns of Fort Moultre and
those OF Battery No. 3. also command the for
midabe distractions tat are placed I'm the main
ship channel, between Fort Sumter and Fort
MouItrie 80
Battery No. IL. at the mouth of Wappoo Creek.
four rified guns, which carry ball with accurao<
as far a. Castle Pickney. - -
Battery No. ~. on the Battery, at the south end
of Charleston. eleven inch guns.
Batteries Nos. ID and IA. near the mouth OF
james Island Creek, 3 guns each.
An iron clad battery, three quarters OF a mile
south OF Castle Pickney. 5 guns.
An iron-clad floating battery, usually anchored
Between Fort Johnson aud the last named work,
mounting guns.
Fort johnson very heavy guns.
Battery No ID, SEQ coast mortars. e.
The above guns together with those in Castle
Pickney comm md the entrance TO the Ashley
river and the South Channel
Battery No 10, at the mouth of Shem Creek,
guas.
batteries Nos II and Is. southeast OF Mendalls :
Point, guns ,ch.
The above guns command the Hog Island
Channel. leading to Cooper river
An iron clad battery ola Cumming Point, with
3 monster guns, which command the distractions
in the main ship channel.
Batteries Nus -, 20 81 %, and %, on Nor
to the main ship chinue
There are also at Charleston two iron rams,
mounting in all guns At five different places,
too, torpedoes are submurged. SO arranged as to
explode when vessels pass over them.
The above enumeration shows that Charleston
Is defended by no less than three hundred and
seventy six guns.
THE CHANNELS.
To give the reader idea Of the entrance
To Charleston, that were formerly used:
Main Ship ChanneI-ln approaching the
Charleston bar to enter the main ship channel
the vessel was kept in six iathoms of water until
up with the belIooat and the lighthouse bore
northwest. then opening Charleston five deg ees
to the northward OF Charleston light, following
this range, passing to the port side of three bar
buoys. Having passed the inner buoy, the north
or further channel beacon BY Fort Moultrie being
open about lis width to the westward of~the
south or near channel beacon, then the course
was north until the two channel beacons were in
range. This led up the channel on a course OF
north three quarters west, keeping headquarters
beacon a little oper to the eastward OF the range
When Fort Sumter bore west one eighth north
and asshsressets ight was openipg midway be-
tween the two Morris Island beacons then the
course northwest by one and halt
mile to Rebellion Roads. Ii bound up to the
city by the Folly Island channel, when ST Phillips
spire opened to the northward o Castle Pinck
ney, and the spire OF ST Mlchael's was open
about the same distance u the southward, the
course west quarter NORTH giving the
wharf at Castle Plnckney berth oil about two
hundred and forty yards a1h
The North Channel This is a shoal channel
and used only by light draught vessels.
Mabu's or SuiIirans Island ChanneL-This
channel /, quite narrow, and trends along the
shore OF Suilivau's Island with eleven feet of
water at low tide on the bukhead southeast from
Moutrie.
Strash Caaanei-This channel is branch
which enters the main channel IL has now the
deepest water. and will probably be used by a
portion oi fleet in the attack
OreraH Channel -Formerly the course of this
channel was a straight one, with the Morris
Island beicons IN range, number OF Shoal
spots have been made IN the channel. aud its use
Is abandoned.
Sanford Channel has seven feet OF water and is
onl, used by small coasting vessels The shifting
character oil the sands which compose Charleston
bar prevents anything like permanence in the
channels. which subject TO frequent aud very
considerable changes IN depth anu location. par
teularly after southeiSterly gale.
Charleston Lighthouse,-Latitude, b degrees
AZ minutes D seconds; longitude - degrees 81
mlnue,. - seconds. The lighthouse Is situated
on the south end OF Morris Island and tormerl y
display Ell q revolving light The lantern i 10
feet above the Level OF the se.t. and IN clear wea
ther 1t could be seen seventeen miles. The re
belS have destroyed the lightning apparatus and
consequently the lighthouse The iiShiboat for
merIy there was stationed one and bali miles
from the southwest end OF Rattlesnake Shoal
which served guide Tor passing clear OF the
shore. IL was removed earl, IN the rebellion
SUPPOSED OBSTRUCTION GROUND
The narrowest part OF the main ship channel
is about one mile and quarter below Fort
Sumter, within easy range OF its guns. The
channel 1t that point is less than Il half mile
wide, and the water Il only six iathoms IN depth.
Ii Is believed that there are distractions or az
laast ,orpedoes placed here The guns OF Fort
Moultrie also bear upon this spot. While il Is IN
short range 81 the irOu- clad battery at Cumming ;
Point, am OF minor batteries in the immediate
vicinity. On either side OF the channel WAY at
seventeen feet of water. which afford facilities
for securing the chains which hold the o6struc
tons wnile at this point Fort Moultrie has a di-
rtkIng fire along the decks. Sumter and
Cummings Point converge their ire at a short
angle aud the other batteries on Selllvan's Isl
anu, parallel but opposite the ire from Morris
Island
DISTRACTIONS.
The Instructions consist of wooden cribs filed
with stones, placed At convenient distances from
each other, while between each crlb are floating
RATS. made OF heavy timber, securely dashed To
gether 5y cable chains. and then bolted 70 an up
per layer OF timber. Which NOT only covers the
CHAINS. bat adds orscias siren 9Th 10 the struc
ture At given point this bar OF broom is pro
Vided With movable gate. which Is opened TO
allow rebel vessels to pass in and out. This gate
i directly under the walls Of Fort Sumter On
either side, AMI AZ safe distance from the broom.
are placed Internal machines and torpedoes
winch are 10 be hred either by conclusion. or bv
means ct gaivanic battery located in either fort
-rahses sesns prepared so-that, when a vessel i
directly over them, they are fired chain and
aeoilhseiinS series OF instructions exist between
Forts Sumter and Mou.trie
THE cry AND WORKS CONNECTED ny ny
GRAPH
TO eflhble the forces in the city and works IN
cooperate. and also TO he able to warn the city
OF the approach of a hostile fleet. the city ana
works are connected by teiegraphic wire The