The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-04-30

The INSTRUCTIONS IN THE SAVANNAH
AND CHARLESTON RlvERs.-We have re.
ceived the following particulars in regard
TO the Instructions in the Savannah and
Charleston Rivers, from captured prison.
lance. Our informant, at the time Of the
breaking ont Of the war, lived in Colum-
bia, 8. c., and under the excitement and
pressure Of the moment joined the Rebel
forces at Moultrie, where he remained for
two months, and then went to MOrrie L.
land. There he was stationed until Sum-
ter was captured, and in June, 1861, left
with the LIST Regiment South Carolina In
fantry; Col. Maxy Gregg (s.nce killed) for
wise Legion stationed in Western vir-
ginia, and upon being discharged from that
command Joined the LIST Reg iment South
Carolina Artillery, Col. Calhoun; stationed
1t Fort Sumter, Charleston, where he was
in April last, when that fertilization was
bombarded by Farragut. At the time OF
the bombardment Col. Rhett was in COM
mand, Col. Calhoun having been killed in
. duel by Col. Rhett. During the bonn
fort, averaging about seventy men EACH
The number Of guns in the fort, including
mortars, was 103. During the lombard.
meDt upward Of 100 men were killed and
wounded. Fifteen men were killed at the
explosion OF the magazine on the south
west corner Of the fort, facing the City OF
Charleston. The fort at the present time 10
perfect mass Of ruins, only Eve guns re-
naming mounted and in condition TO be
worked. At the time our informant left
Charleston garrison of two companies
was still kept in the ruins Of the fort. These
were relieved every fortnight by way OF
the north side. They are prOvisioned from
day to day by means Of small boats from
Charleston, by way Of Mount Pleasant and
Sullivan's Island. Fort Johnston. on
James Island, still in the Rebel hands,
contains Il large guns, 10-inch columbiads,
while in the Outworks there are three bat
mostly Of small cAliber. On the west end
of Sullivan's Island there are three BATE
ries Of about five guns each; at Fort Moul-
trie, on the same island, there are 81 guns
and mortars; Battery Bee, On the east of
MOultrie, mounts 5 guns. There are two
other batteries mounting from four to five
guns each. From the rear Of Fort Moul-
trie over to Mount Pleasant there is q
bridge constructed for the purpose of trans
ence to the batteries on Sullivan's Island.
Besides these Publications there are Fort
Ripley, Castle Pinckney, and q very strong
battery on the city wharf. Fort Ripley is
about mile and half from Sumter, and
half mile from Fort Johnston. 1t 10 built
in the center Of the river and mounts IA
heavy guns. Castle Pinckney is between
one-haT and three quarters Of mile from
the city, and mounts or guns, mostly
il strongly protected BY martins, and
mounts eight large guns. In regard to the
there are thirty.tw0 torpe.
does laid on direct line in the Charleston
River, from Fort johnson to Mount Pleas
ant, the entire width Of the harbor. They
consist of common beer barrels, tarred in
and outside, and fastened together by q ca
bic at the bottom. Some Of them contain
between COO and 700 pounds Of powder. The
of these most villainOus instruments are
screwed into the end Of each barrel, and 90
arranged near the surface that they will
explode the torpedo with Is pounds Of pres
sure from anything coming in contact with
them. At the front Of Fort Ripley there
are spiles driven across the river to pre-
vent vessels from passing that point. From
Sumter to Cumming Point and Sullivan's
Island there are torpedoes similar to the
there are logs chained together across the
river, mostly from Fort Johnston to Sulli-
vans Island. Nearly all the steeples in
the city had been taken down four weeks
40, when our informant left Charleston,
to prevent our forces from obtaining any
particular range. A great portion Of the
city, from the wharf to Meeting street, has
been battered down by the fleet There are
now no residents in that locality.
In regard TO the obstruction in Savan-
nah River, from Thunderbolt5 Battery to
Warsaw sound, the rebels have laid down
live oak logs and timber, from Skiddeway
River to the marsh opposite. At q place
called 1.-The Sisters" three little Islands (be-
low Turner'S rocks) in the middle Of the
river, the rebels have sunk thirty-two tor.
pedoes, extending from Wilmington Island
TO the .sSisters," and thence to Skiddeway
Battery. They are little larger than lager
beer barrels, and charged with powder and
illuminate, and will explode on slight pres
sure. Beside these there are others in the
Savannah River, in regard to which our in
formant is not thoroughly posted. Our in.
formant says, within the last nine months
all of the British subjects unable to take out
a writ Of Hdbeas Corpus, have been con.
scripted. All other foreigners have beer
forced into the ranks at the point of the
bayonet. The general desire among the