The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-04-07

| ramparts A new bombproof retreat has seel
butt the parade ground for the soldiers TO retreat TO
when hard pressed by the shells Of the enemy. With
| this exception there has been no important al
teraton made In this work. Notwithstanding this, n aa
t1e to b. able make determined aud he best fight
Kearns said that n he were in iron clad about to enter
the barber in hostile manner, he should nothing
" he could successfully pass through the fire fyo~ Fort
! Moalrte.
CASTLE PINCKNEY
This work is situated the southern extremity Of
shutes Folly Island. is not fertilization OF much
account except in regard to It's position which enables
1t 10 command all the eastern whsrves. 1t is, in fact,
an outwork Of the city rather than defence the hsr
Dor; but IN the event of invading feet passing the
lower works 1t would somewhat annoy them. Its plan
presents to the south semcrcular face; the eastern
and western faces formed by tho line Of rampant fol-
lowing the direction Of the tangent to the circular at
its extremity, ana for distance OF twenty yards the
northern side is plain At both the northeastern and
northwestern angles semicircuar basons the outer
extremes Of the being tangent respectively to the
eastern and western sides of the fort There two
tiers Of guns tho lower being in bombproof
mates the embrasures Of which about seven feet
above low water mark. the upper ten being en- babete
The length Of the rampant twenty feet and tho width
thirty feet The width Of tho outer wall and parapst
is six feet The entrance the work Is tho northern
sde either side OF which the officers quarters,
rnessrooms, &c. It's armament ID about twenty-five
pieces. twenty and thrtytwo Founders, "a few
coast mortars and six tennch columbads.
FORT RIPLEY,
The work on tho middle ground promises 10 give
vessels trouble than any work In tho harbcr Fort
Sumter not excepted The very best Of engineering talent
has produced iron.clad casemated work, with
sopng sides, which will shed shot ~ well as,
perhaps, our own iron clads No time, expense
nd
Is believed to be almost impregnable. Our inform
ants do not give the details OF ts construction but all
claim for It the greatest merits. Our officers
knowledge its commanding position and the probability
OF Its doing US much harm. Its guns sweep down the
Swash channel giving approaching vessel the full bo
nett OF terrible rakng fire. II the hrs Of Sum-
ter and Moutrie making II perhaps the hottest place
tried by any class Of vessels for where the vessel
meets the distractions she also encounters the fire OF
sumter half mile distant, Moultrle half mile distant,
and the middle ground work, distant about two miles,
with the Fort johnson and Cummings Point batteries play
ing away In full vgor When Kearns left the harbor this
work was ready to receive six guns which were said 70
be awaiting the completion Of the fort II also stated
that il expected that two powerful Armstrong guns
would arrive from Nassau would he mounted this
work They had not arrived when he left the harbor,
| month since.
FORT JOHNSON
Fort johnson simply huge sand battery, erected
the site Of old Fort johnson of Revolutionary memory
II situated mile and quarter from Fort Sumter,
aud mounted four heavy guns The position Of this work
highly necessary the defence OF the harbor giving
connecting line Of fire. and has always been considered
by high military officers the key the defensive works
Of the harbor. Against land attack, or by gunboats
by Stone river, it is considered essential element Of
defence There Is mortar battery in connection with
| the work OF four seacOast mortars.
| CUMMINGS POINT IRoN.CLAD BATTERY.
The nearest point Of land to Fort Sumter Cummings
Point distant $50 yards On this point the celebrated
railroad battery. Il consisted In structure OF
heavy framework of yellow pine logs, with roofing Of
the material, which was deveailed railroad
ron bolted down in the most manner Its front
presents angle Of about thirty degrees pierced
for three portholcs which covered when the
being loaded, by iron shutters. When open there
just space enough allow the heavy coumbad to
be run out These guns bore on the south wall Of sum-
This work said TO be down. but Ii not
| unlikely they have put Il up again.
! THE IRoN-cLAD FLOATING BATTERY.
At the time this vessel Of defence considered quite
novel Affair, and Il performed an important part In
the bombardment Of sumter. II constructed OF pal
meto logs srmorsd with boiler iron. Il embrasured
mounted four heavy guns Tho gun face OF the bat
terry covered with six plates Of iron two Of them be-
ing railroad ron The wood backing four feet thick
L
tectcd Heating hospital which attached. II now
lies aground ana will be used battery Ore
with Fort Ripley The rsn plating has been removed for
usc on the new ron-clads.
THE BATTERY AT CHARLESTON.
On the Battery at Charleston had been mounted eight
guns four Of which rned pieces Of eight inch Ca
bre and tho remaining four tennch colunSiads. These
guns expected be used 10 prevent the troops
the transport vessels from eectng landing this part
the city, should they succeed in passing the FORTS and
| looked upon kind Of last resort.
THE WORKS ON THE ISLANDS.
On James Island the old batteries about Secessonvile
have been renewed: but have been erected.
ON the northern side wappoo creek, whore II emp
into the Ashley river battery has been erected
| commanding both streams. On suivan's Island six
gun battery has been erected the Mourie House
and anotherafo gun batteyat about milefrom that
spot On Morris Island there six gun battery be-
sides the at Cummings Point and other az far
| Kearns knew.
since our informant left Charleston every available
gro has been impressed, and batteries have grown up
with mushroom ccerity. Guns have been brought from
all Rebellion, and the delenccs Of Charleston In
| creased at least onethird.
THE CITY AND WORKS coSsEcrED BY TELEGRAPH.
To enable the forces tho city and works to operate
and also 10 be able " the city Of the approach
hostile feet the city and works connected by tele
graphic wire The wire passes from Charleston
James Island thence along the shore 10 Fort johnson,
nearly opposite Ripley and thence TO Fort sumter II
with Morris Island at Cummings Point and then
stretches the headquarters in the Of the island
Thus vessel passing the channel in front Of Norris Island
promptly known in Charleston passing Sandy
Hook would be known in this city. Consequently a CON-
pete cooperation OF the whole of the works could be OBJ
tanned and surprise Of them become almost matter Of
impossibiiity.
| LOCATION AND ARMAMENT OF THE WORKS.
Another informant says-Ihc oundrics at Rich.
mcnd have cast two hundred guns for Charleston
aone addition those that already there aud
among these eighteen Of those monster guns Of
which We have heard from time TO time such wonderful