Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1864-07-28
THE DEFEYsRS OF RICHMOND-GREAT Diff
CuLTIEs IN TIE WAY OF TAKING IT.


CULTIEs IN THE WAY OF TAKING IT.
The New York Tribune contains some stunning
revelations from Richmond, furnished by Mr. Harris,
Engshman, who had served in the Ormea, and had
some knowledge of engineering He escaped from the
city, and is now ip New York. His account of the
forcaton around Richmond is given in great length.
Here is the Introduction of it:
As soon as JEFF Davis & Co, became fully satisfied
that Richmond to be resoutey assaed the citizen
militia were called out for further instruction and prac
tce, and Mr.. Harris although aen was forced to
enter the ranks Instead or appearing reluctant to do
bis part he evinced readiness and desire to aid
in the defense of The city and disclosing his knowledge
of artillery practice and gunnery, made second
| lieutenant in artillery militia company. This led to
bis beng sent out to the for fcatons to assist in in
structug hi8 company in loading, aiming and firing
heavy guns, and fording him opportunity of ex-
amniDg the defensive works, as we'll OF escape.
My reference to these works will, therefore be found
| ed on his knowledge combined with my own.
There are hundreds and even thousands of people
who suppose that Gen. Grant intends to carry the de-
enses around Richmond by grand assault, and that
| in few days the city will be captured. But these
parties will be disappointed. The day fer carrying the
deenses and reaching city by storm is passed. In
the latter part of June and the fore part of july 1862
when Mcclellan was frghtened-it would be an insult
to his noble army to say forced dr7en-to his gun
boats for protection, the defenses of the city in
| the nature Of field Notifications, which any
skful even fighting general could have Carried with
| little difficulty aud loss.
|
third and believe one halt Since then however,
the rebels have placed under every citizen capable
Of military duty 80 that to day Lees army is numeri-
cay nearly equal to Grants. The rebel authorities
| have Lot only placed every capable of bearing
arms in the cId but they have done everything that
military skill and engineering could do to rende their
capital impregnabe. Richmond is to day we'll forti
fed, Perhaps any city on the globe. 1t is as corr
pete fortress (so the rebels boas the city of Po
seD n Prussia, which is said by military writer's aud
engineers to be the most skfully fortified inland city
in Europe, not excepting evtn Paris The public mus,
therefore await the operations of our euenantgenera
with patience. He has great task before him. He
| might possibly carry the rebel works by storm.
He names and describes twenty or thirty forts
some of the walls Of which are from eighty to ninety
feet thick and all of item quite mpregnabs. Mr. Har-
ris gets into the cotton question, and shows how We
make our explosives
The great scarcity of saltpetre, and the difficulty
obtaining it from abroad, has excited among rebel lead
ers little alarm. Ga October last the ordnance de-
pertment determined to make experiments with
gun cotton. a quantity was manutac' ured and sub
jected to various TESTS which proved quite satisfactory
A charge equal to ounce and a half of powder was
placed in eight inch mortar with "a pound shot
which on being fired gives range OF 1872 feet, which
exceeds by several feet the range obtained from two
ounces OF the best cylinder powder For another tCs
| quantity of the cotton equal to two dracbms was
placed in aprouvette, and on being exploded
raised weight Uf twenty six pounds to the height o
AZ inches showing much greater power than is Civ
en- similar test by two drachms Of approved pow
| der.
Those experiments were satisfactory that the rebe
Government determined to employ the gun cotton for
artillery fire. and ordered large number of guns and
| howtzers manufactured in which IL will be used to the
| exclusion OF powder. did not learn the process nor
all the materials used 10 the manufacture of this article
but know it considered by the officers of the rebe
War Department nearly oDehalf cheaper than gun
powder while it is their boast that they can furnish
| any amount that may be required.
| RFBEa OFFICERS IN PARIs.-A Paris coTrespon-
dent i an English military Journal has a romantic
| story to tell of an Irish Confederate regiment:
! There are many wounded Confederate officers here,
some in search of health and Others of artificial limbs
| Rherewith to march against the Yankee invader
Ttere is great want of Surgeons 10 the South, and Bill
some wonderful cures have been efcted although ope
ratons have to be hastily got through, and many g
Door fellow has been left yiog the field for days be-
fore he could be attended 10. One young officer, now
in PARIS had the whole of bis left stripped to the
bone by shell at Charlottesville, and yet be is able
to use it pretty freely now. young Lieutenant Col
one wishing probably to get another step, is here hav
np foot reoaced which he left Chickamauga slope
|, He hopes soon to rejoin bis old corps About ter
days ago an active youDg agent waiting to carry
, out lee to GeGera WOO, having had one shot of
, found it difficult to sit On bis charger.
Il may interest your Irish readers to know that the
4 trymen They commenced the war in an unfortunate
t manner, being taken prisoners at Fort Doneson.
Whilst h the North many overtures were made to then
give up worshipping false idols, and return under tn
! sheltering wing OF Abe Lincoln.