Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1863-08-21


General Gilmore proposes directing his
batteries against Sumter itself, having
given up the attempt to take Fort Wag-
ner by storm. His siege gunsare mount
ed at a distance from Sumter Of about
thirty-6ve hundred yards-~a great range,
TO be sure, but not beyond the reach Of
his powerful riaed ordnance. We must
not forget, however, that while he has
been. busy erecting batteries, the Rebels
have been hard at work at the same. ~
kThey have now q series Of strong works
IN JaaaAe IslsnsL NllIt6', cr. II w g,
aitions on Morris 1slaHd and thc mo.
ment We open on Sumter they open on
us with their flank fire from these new
works, aided by the fire from the forts.
| We fear that it will not be without heavy
loss that the boInhardment will be kept
up. This is one of the clements to be
taken into account. There is now one
other:
Tie object to be attained in the attack
of fort is to make what is called
practicable breach" or passage in its
walls capable of allowing it to be storm
ed with superior forces. After breach
is made, therefore, the work of assault
will remain. There are two approaches
by which this may be made. If tits at
tempted by coup dc main by way Of
Morris Island, there will remain, as
preliminary, Fort Wagner to be taken.
This will not be an easy task, both on
account of the excessive restrictedness
of the ground, admitting of not more
than a brigade deployment, and because
the Rebels have been greatly strength
ening this work since the last unsuccess-
full attack. Nor does the work end even
when Wagner is stormed, for the APP
proach to the artificial island on which
Fort Sumter is built will have to be made
by means of launches, exposed to the
fire of dozen forts and works. The
approach by water up the harbor to the
site Of the fort presents precisely the
same difficulties.
If we look into the history of siege
operations, we find that the issue Of the
defence is frequently the result of ele-
ments outside Of those of purely mill
tAry order-in fact, of moral nature
Carnot, the lllustrIous war Minister to
Napoleon, wrote work entitled De
ia Defcnce dcs 7'die fbiYes ia which
he aimed to show that the strength Of
fortresses has been hitherto overlooked,
and that they are in reality capable Of
far greater resistat Be than bad been CON
ceived previously to his time. 1t was
written at the request Of Napoleon with
the view to stimulate garrisons to main
tain their defence to the utmost. Tho
moral of his imposing array Of argu-
ment and illustration is to show that a
: determined garrison can make defence
brilliant and protracted beyond what was
thought possible, and the numerous sieges
of the Peninsular war few yesrs later
furnish striking Confederation Of the truth
Of Carnot's position.
We make no doubt that the Rebels
will be prompted by every consideration
and sentiment that influence men, TO
make the defence Of Charleston as brill
liant, desperate, protraeted and bloody
as it is possible to make it. 1t is true
, the chances mathematically are against
the besieged, and with combined land
and naval attack, conducted with the
skill and pluck and determination which
our military and naval chiefs will bring
to their work, we have just hopes Of sue
cess But the Hague Of doing up the
business in ga couple Of hours" is not
only puerile but dangerous. II is given
TO valor and "a righteous cause to deserge
; success; but no man has a right to anti
cipote it with bOastful and self-suifieent
expressions overpassing the modesty
; Of nature"