New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-06-13
DIFFICULTIES OF A SIEGE
THE FORTIFICATIONS.
THE UNDERGROUND POSTAL ROUTE
Rebel Communication with New-York
Correspondence Of The N. y. Tribune.

WASHINGTON, June 0, 1864.
Now that Gen. Grant is fairly before the Rebel
capital, the public win be glad to learn much as
possible concerning the extent and character OF the
Notifications be has to reduce and the obstacles he hos
TO overcome before no reach the object Of attack
do not pretend to be familiar from personal obserya-
ton with all the defenses Of the city, for many works
have been devised and erected since my escape For
description Of them I am indebted to Mr.. Harris,
Who as 1 stated in MY letter Of few days ago. leit
Richmond On the 18th ult, and is very Trustworthy
gentleman. Moreover he served as Ensign in the Brit
ish Army during the Crimean war; and Is quite web
versed In military engineering
As soon as JEFF. Davis e. Co. became fully satisfied
that Richmond be resolutely assaed the citizen
militia called out for further instruction and prae'
tice and Mr.. Harris, although alien was forced to
enter the ranks. Instead Of appearing reluctant to do
his part be evnced readiness and even desire to
aid in the defense Of the city, and disclosing his knowl'
edge Of artillery practice and gunnery. was made
Second Lieutenant In On artillery militia company.
This led 10 his being sent out to the Notifications to
sis In insructng his company in loading. aiming and
firing heavy guns and afforded him opportunity Of
examining the defensive works as wen Of escape.
Ny reference to theee works win 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.
lenses around Richmond by grand assault and that in
few days the city viii be captured But these parties
WIN be disappointed. The day 70, carrying the de-
lenses and reaching the city by storm is passed. In
the latter part Of June and tho fore part Of July 1902
whom Mcclellan was fightenedit would be an insult
TO his noble army 10 say forced drven-to his gun.
boats for protection the denses ofthe city we're In the
nature Of common field fortifcations which any skful
or fighting general with his army could have car
RED with little difficulty and loss. The Union army
then outuumbered tho Rebel hest by onethird. and
believe onehaf Since, then however, the Rebels hayo
placed under arms every citizen capable Of military
duty, so that to-day Lees army 10 numerically nearly
equal to Grants Tie Rebel authorities have not only
placed every man capable Of bearing arms, IL
the field but they have done everything that military
skin and engineering could do 10 render their capital
impregnable. Richmond Is to-day as well fortified per-
baps any city the globe II is as complete for
tress $50 the Rebels boast the City Of Posen In Prus
ala, which is said BY military writers and engineers to
be the most skfuy fortified inland city in Europe not
excepting Paris The public must therefore await
the operations Of our lieutenant General with patience
He has great task before him. lie might possibly
carry the Rebel works by storm. but the attempt sue
cessfu would cost many thousands Of precious bves
and unnecessarily make tens Of thousands Of widows
and orphans
The defenses Of Richmond consist Of large number
forts Of various dimensions situated that mutual
protection exists between them while interior cir
cumscribIng system Of defense has been adopted an
additional security, should single outwork fall
To name and describe al the forts would be quite
tedious task and shall therefore only refer to few Of
/ A.
Looking TO the southeast find Fort Jackson.
Fair Oaks about 81 miles from the city. between the
New Bridge Road and York River Railroad.
Then Gomez Fort johnson, Just below the Chickn-
hominy, In the heighborhood Of milo from the Ne.
Gainesville Pike. This fort commands the Mechanics
vile Bridge and In fbct all the bridges and fords be-
tween 1t and New Bridge.
Two miles and q half from the city and about mid.
way between the Virginia Central Railroad and No
chanicsvD De Pike, is the "MalakoH," bearing the
Meohanicsville Bridge and Wilkinsons Railroad
Bridge. and wiI In fact. sweep all that part Of the
Cbiekahominy between the points named.
About two and three-quarter miles from the city.
nearly Midway Of the Meadow Bridge Road and the
Brook Ran Pike situate high hill Is Fort Besure.
gard, commanding the Brook Run Pike apd Meadow
Bridge Road a mile and a hail In advance Of Il IL
great redoubt, bearing tho Meadow Bridge and the
bridge over Brook Run and all intermediate points on
the stream.
Three and half miles from the city. between the
Brook Run Pike and the Richmond and Fredericksburg
Railroad on ar cminence stands Fort Lee command
ing both those thoroughfares for long distance and
commanding as well Brook Run Bridge and two fords
on the Deep Run.
Within and without and between these forts are
others on smaller SCALE and In addition 10 this the
intervals nclosed by heavy curtains and rampars
from eighty TO ninety feet In thickness In front OF the
forts and ramparts are bitches twenty eight feet In
width. and twenty-five feet deep. IN which arc con-
srlcted Carnot walls OF the most ingenious character
intended TO give you minute description Of these
forts but other engagements viii not permit TO do
row. In a week from this time when the subject will be
quite interesting 1t Is to-day will infinitely dc.
scribe the position, character and strength Of oil the
leading Notifications around the city.
There is no material OF war that the Rebels find It
more difficult to provide than gnnpowder. The great
scarcity Of sapeter and the difficulty Of obtaining II
from abroad has excited among the Rebel leaders no
little alarm In October last the Ordnance Department
determined to make experiments with gun cotton
quantity wos manufactured and subjected TO various
tests which proved quite satisfactory charge, equal
to one ounce and half Of powder was placed In an
eight-inch mortar with sixty flour pound shot which,
on being fred gave range of 1872 feet which exceeds
BY several feet the range obtained from two Of
the best cylinder powder For another test quantity
of the cotton equal to two drachms placed in an
eprouyette, and on being exploded raised weight Of
twenty six pounds TO the hight Of 4. inches showing
much greater power than is given In similar test by
two draohms Of approved powder.
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