, 1864-08-18

certain, the rtbels will be unable to pui,d
any more ironclads, or cvcn guuboats. for
theyiarc entirely ont of materials, especially
se sseam 1msehipsT5, and.tt wa with thc great,
aess were prepared and fitted out.
Ne are strongly impressed With the feel
| tDg that Farragnt Was not ordered to ca ptuce
tie city Of Mobile unless it could be TO oae at
tr1iflng cost Of men aud material. It he
lae dt stroAca III: rtbel llce:, taken posses
sion. Of For: Gaines anJ foscs d tue enr:uy to
afbndou nne blow up Fort PoTcli, Ac has
accomplished n Work Of vast jfuportaucc:
for il gives to us the control Of Mueile .bsy
anu ehtctu1lly uts an ei'd to thu blockade
running business D that q"arter. Fort Mor-
| gan can he reduced In ttme; If not by our
| tlcct, 1t can be accomplished hY thc land
1ufcch, WHICH can be thrown upon Myutsc
Pojut and protected by the guns ot our I'M.
Eal yeEsels "rilc they lay ste-r to it. Oua
thing il certain: that from LIE time Of tuc
passaec Of the forts, with propcr, attention.
10 reipioic-lucu,s could nave re.cled it, and
eEcn II they had 1t W.u be 80 much ssoncc
when The I,rnvfsion7 s1+ide nf the flrt ara
used up. Under tue best possible ctrcum.
stances the garrison at Fort Morgan NAV
1oH be constituted III procarious condition,
quarter.
The works defending the approaches to tho
city Of Mobile by land from the nortaward
snd eastward have been laid out in the best
posslble 1nanner. 4 line Of eartlwo1ks
some fifteen miles In continuous extent. On
h.Folnt near tho eastern side Of the Alaba.na |
rl'tr., Within this line ot breast works are |
p1aced no less than twelve larsc independent !
works and redoubts, one commanding 1ne |
otncr, making the approach hazuruous u The |
extreme. hnd reqaiting Large body Of tro,ps
TO carry Hlth success.
Whea Fort Powell surrendered Admiral
aanaGut ELL la! thirty miles to prccacl b:-
lore Ie could arrive ut Mobile, scd niue Of
these nal1e6 are thrcu5,s unarro@ chauneI, |
With lis banks fortified the xhold distance,
Obbtruct1ns are plnc4d entiruly across tic |
WY that vessels are compelled to paes un-
der tue guns Of two iron.clad forts and
battery from the shore. On tile vest side Of
Mobile q line Of fntrenchmcnts passes COM
p1rtely around the city, Inside OF which are
,o1ts a1.o powerful ba:t.rias. Indeed, No. l.
spies arc driven in the channel, aud vessel,
laden will stone Is ready to be sunk at auy
Moment, to make the obstructions complete,
1"o OF tue guns which sunk the monitor
Fort aft ryan. -
There u u trsct of swampY ground to the
:ast o1 tle coDfiucnce Of ths Aiuhama river,
ano" n as Pinto's Poiut. The 10 wcr portion
y thls u rendered solid By driving piles and
Hing It @ith earth. Upon this are placed i
va lang 4oAs, LHFeC TlIeQ anu three Gn-
FOUNDER guns. Between Pinto's Point andt le
iycr is level plateau. ia the upper portion
# WHICH, and near the point Of luucture Of ..
nc channel With the Alabama, north of Mo. /
'lle IS located redoubt Att village on the !
ailroad north Is still anothtr rcdouGt mount- {
pg four heavy guns. At Three Mile creek |
7here it CROSSES the railroad is small earth.
Rofk thrown up, and defended By militia, | :
19taidc = OF the carthworks, around the west +
las OF tho city, extending from the she'll
eao ehtireiy around the city to the river, ! c
re formidable breaatworks. between the | :
labama ard tie shell. road to the lighthouse. =
10 just back of this is a battery OF SIX field 3
lecse. There arc, pethaps, other defensive f
eBcription. n
Mobile once in the possession of the Un1on I
:oops, With suM lent force to hold it, Xn y
Fea o. country, the richest in cotton In the q
ofla, would be opened up. Mobile cniovs | Il
nc advantage over New Orleans In rerard to il
le staple which forms the commerce IF each Il
~ that 1s. thst the former place ia much .
carer 70 the plantations where it is raised ~
I'M thls. and there would consequently he u
ss TIER IN bringing 1t to market. and a Il
naller extent Of country t4 occupy to brinr ei
lItlser area Of productive acres within The II
pioA ~! nles Not the least important item q
traoe which enters into the commerce Of Il
- pace Is that OF naval stores. Tu1pcn.
ae, rostn. tar aud pitch, which now com
grcat abundance in the plney woods @rnw.
: N the vicinity, aud the LeHly CONSTRUCTED
usoao 70 Pensacola passes through num-
r1efs actes Of pinesWhich have never been
stnrbed by the hind of industry 4 sufI1. ,o
mt contraband force could readily he raised W ",
supply oil tue wagts Of the nuyy from The =
ntdiate surroundings. eb