Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1863-04-23
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'i"i Wy P'iN isH9hlfeT.
Charleston Harbor----Its Forts
and Battcrics---LOcal and
Distances.

a ! am indebted to Captain Platt, Of the
, Coast survey steamship Bibb, for nam.
Y moth chart Of Charleston Harbor aud its
/ surroundings, having on it all the dis.
I tances from pointto point, not only in
the harbor and around the city, but out
to sea, with the depth Of water accuratoly '
noted at all points 1t also gives the To-.
cation Of all the batteries and forts cree.
ted by the rebels on the island approach
ing the harbor. From this chart com.
pile the the fol owing interesting and ac.
curate statements Of the surroundings OF
Charleston
What is termed Charleston Bar is a
gentle elevation Of the bottom, extending
across the whole point of the harbor, q
, long and and broad ridge Of sand, rem
dering the water too shallow for the pas
sage Of large vessels, except through
three channels which were carefully buoy
cd and marked out by the Governmt mt
before the rebellion, all of which have
been taken up by the rebels. They have
also cut down the trees on the islands,
which were used by pilots as ranges for
the channels, and have thrown all obsta-
cles in their power in the way of our en-.
trance. With the aid Of the Court Sur
vey charts, and the more valuable per-
sonal services Of Captain Boutelle and
Lieut.. Plat, and the other officers of the
steamer Bbb, but little difficulty is ap-
pretended in finding these channels.
There are three channels through the
bar at Charleston, one called the Ship
Channel, running in front of Morris Is
land, on the south side Of the bar; the Sec
ond, the Swash Channel, in the center
and the third, Sulivsn's or ,Maffit's
Channel, running along in front of Sui
! livan's Island, on the north side of the
bar. The distance from either of these
channels f. ON outside the bar to Fort
! Sumpter is from four to five miles; that
by the S'vash Channel, being more di-
rect, is less than four miles. Morris Is.
land is on the south side Of the bar, aud
is three miles long from Lighthouse In
let to Cummings Point, which is in the
rear Of Fort Sumter. At different points
along its three miles of front, it has four
heavy sand batteries, completely com
manding the whole length of Ship Chan.
nell At Cummings Point, it will be
rememb bered, the iron-clad battery is To-
Gated, which was used so effectually
by the rebels in their attack on Fort Sum
ter.
The Harbor Of Charleston, inside Of
Sumter, is three miles long from Sumter
to the city front, and has an average
width Of nearly two miles. Fort Pick
ney is on Shutters Folly Island, imme-
diately opposite the city, and at the mouth
Of Cooper River. 1t is small stone
structure, of no account, and could be
shattered to pieces by iilteen-inch shell
There are however, numerous land batter
les said to be located along the shore
within the harbor commanding the ap- |
proaches to the city. There is also SAID
TO be a powerful fort located on the mid
die ground, which is in the center of the
harbor, mile and half from Sumter
and from the city. The City Battery,
public promenade, similar to the New
York Battery, but much larger, is also
said to be mounted with heavy ordnance.
The location and form of the city of
Charleston is very much like that of New
York, the Cooper River representing the
East river, and the Ashley River the North
River. It's width, from river to river, is
not half so great as New York, conse-
quently when once taken it can be easily
held by gunboats, stationed on these
two rivers, against any land force that
might be brought againstit. 1t can thus
be cut off from all communication with
.bo ,,,o;, lonJ 1;l-o nm island fnr oil mi
itary purposes.
Sulivan's Island forms the coast on
the north side of the bar, and is three
miles long from Beach Inlet to Fort Moul
trie. There is heavy battery on the
island and Beach Inlet, and several 9TH
ers along the shore, commanding the
whole of Sullivan's or Maflit's Channel.
Fort Moultrie thus commands the en-
trance to the harbor ofthe city, at the end
of Sullivan's Paint Battery, at the end
of Morris Island, on the south side, and
directly opposite, holds similar position,
the two points being in direct line. just
one mile and a hall apart. All three OF
these channels converge into one in front
of Folt Sumter, which stands precisely |
midway between Moultrie and the Com
mings Point Battery. Fort Sumter is
not, however, in direct line between the
two, but is located about a half mile
nearer to the city than either of them,
consequently its position is at an angle
of three quarters Of mile from the shore
on either side.
What is termed Charleston Bar is not
generally understood by those who are
not familiar with nautical matters. The
entrance to Charleston across this bar
from the sea may be likened to funnel,
the small portion of the funnel commcn-
cling at Fort Sumter and extending:to the
city. The sides of the large portion of
the funnel are formed by Sullivan Is
land on the north side, and Morris Island
on the south side. The Charleston Bar
commences four miles to the seaward of
Sumter, and extends along the whole
large end of the imaginary tunnel from
Sullivan's Island to Morris Island, dis !
lance of fully eight miles. The width of
this bar and shoals is fully four miles
from the outer limits Of Sumter, and 6
eight miles long. The distance from the c
entrance of. Motifs Channels to the en- !
franco of the SwaSh Channels is over two c
miles, and from Swash Channel to Ship a