The Placer herald., 1864-07-09
Correspondence of the New York World.
THE DEFENCES OF RICHMOND
s'STINK BALLS.s,
BALTIMORE. MAY 9, lS6


a planter by occupation and at present a
refugee. Since the middle of February, |
have been most Of the time in Richmond,
associating considerably with the officers Of
the army and navy, and of the military and
civil departments of the government.
But, if Lee does fall back on Richmond,
you may depend on it Grant will have plenty
of work before him. The defences around
the town are no bugbear as some persons
have guessed and published They are as
perfect and formidable as Military skill and
engineering can possibly make them. Several
weeks ago the works then around the city
were carefully inspected by President Davis
and Generals Lee and Bragg, and were pro-
nounced by them quite satisfactory; but not
withsanding this, the President about two
weeks later, called Gen. Beauregard, the
Totleben Of the Confederacy, to the capital,
to examine the works and devise improve.
menis, if in his judgment any could be
made Beauregard spent several days around
the city with Lee and Bragg, and the result
was the immediate commencement of anoth-
er line Of defensive works. Several of the
most proficient engineers in the rebel service
have been detailed to superintend the con
struction of the new line agreeabIy to the
plans Of the great rebel engineer. Thousands
of negroes have been employed more than
three weeks in digging new bitches, and
throwing up new ranparts, parapets, DC, in
advance of the old ones BY this time the
new line is bevond doubt, completel
These forttications were to consist, as |
was informed by one of the officers (and a
very reliable genleinan) engaged in their
construction, Of seventeen detached forts
forming several independent defensive posi-
tions, after the style of the iortiications
constituting the second line ofdefence around
the city of Paris. The barracks and auxiIi,
AIRY woks are so constructed for t1anking
fires from artillery that mutual protection
will exist between the forts. The interval
between the works are closed by long cur-
tains protected by bitches twenty four feet
wide and sixteen feet deep, in most of which
are constructed rams,borns and tenai Ies.-
Many of the bitches are supplied with water
from the adjacent rvulets. These forts are
to be connected by military road and teIe-
graph, at1ording speedy communication be
tween them.
These works will be mounted with guns
of large caIibre, and there will be no lack
OF howizers and mortar batteries, protected
by bomb-proof casemates, out OF reach Of
the Union artillery.
The question may be pertinenty asked
Nv here have the rebels obtained such a
supply of ordnance of this characel!"
answer, that they have manufactured some,
but have received more from Europe. The
northern people would be astonished to learn
the great amount of war material and other
necessarl,s, that in spite Of the blockade, the
rebels are weekly receiving from the o'her
side OF the Atlantic. On the 22d uItlmo, |
counted around lhe depot o! lhe h'chmond
ana petersburg hai'road, lulr'y-'"o mortars
OF Itehch manufacture, "h,ch were received
at l'mlngton only lew DAYS before.
Before leaving the deences OF klchmono'
must mention ne" ana mover 'n'entlon
oy C"Pt. ho'deh' OF the feOe' army. II Is
nothing more or less .h"n a SUNK oall de-
signed to be hred INTO Ihe WORKS OF bes'e@-
els to SUNK them OUT ABOUT !he mldu'e OF
Apfll, was one OF se'efa' c''I'a"s WHO,
upon invitation, accompanied party OF
officers to A'Iees, station on the central
Railroad ten mics rom hic"no"1' TO wl'- WI
ness some experiments WIN '"e o"',' Inc
ball Is an IRON SHELL containing comoustlo'e
and destructive material as well as odorl'ef'
Gus matter and IN appearance Is s'nliIaF TO
the stink ball IN use many years ago IL IS
designed to be thrown ny mor'ars, out IN
the tests on the occasion referred TO- the
fuse was lighted and the smells allowed II, TO
illuminate where they were paced Inc
stencil which followed the eSP'oS'on was 'ne
most fetld and vl'lalnous ll,a' ever outraged
the oIfactor'es OF man Co'qroge sald that
he counted Ia Cologne seventy seven
d., g ho lo1 heon .t A,aa,s on the dav
af ,ho o,nor;,nents allpAed to he wouId have
r,oao,,;zol ,bo,o all and SEVENTY seven thou,
sand move The concentrated stink of all
I,os sl,nl.s nola.csts niooers mitch snlnhur