The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-08-06
The COntending Forces aud their
Strength.

%
Strength.
The following is description of the contendIng
forces now at Mobile, and by it our readers will
be able, In a measure, to see that since this Re-
belliOn commenced, no two such formidable
fleets have met in combat We shall await with
much anxiety the result of this struggle for the
supremacy of the great bay of the Gulf City,
OPERATIONS PREVIOUS TO THE ATTACK.
Mobile has been threatened on two occasions
previous to the present movement, one shortly
after the capture of New Orleans, and again in
February OF this year, the first movement being
made by Porter's mortar hotilla, and the second
by Admiral Farragut. The latter was made at
Grants Pass, and was intended only 10 distract
attention from other points.
oBJBCT OF THE MOVEMENT.
The present movement is probably designed
not so much for the capture of the city of Mobile
rs II is to obtain possession of Dauphin Island
and Mobile Point, SO that the harbor can be efsc-
tually blockaded, and at the same time 10 relieve
the large Union fleet now off that place, who have
been hourly threatened with an attack from the
Rebel iron'clads lying under the guns of Fort
Morgan.
THE DEFENsEs OF THE CHANNELS
Mobile is perhaps the best defended place in
the Gull, and IL will require all the dash of Far
ragut TO gain a foothold inside of the defenIes
1t is not only protected by heavy forts, wen
armed, but by a formidable hotia of iron.clad
rams, gunboats, and cotton-clads; and this feet
must be destroyed or driven we'll up the bay
before il will be safe for the wooden vessels TO
pass in.
Nature, in laying out the bay, ran out a long,
sandy peninsula, called Mobile Point upon which
the United States Government placed a strong
work mounting one hundred and thrty-six guns
two tiers in casemate and one en- 6ar5ette. This Is
situated on the starboard or right side of the
entrance to the bay, through the swash channel
On the port or left hand side is situated Dauphin
Island on whose eastern extremity is located
Fort Gainesi also a casemated work mounting
some htty guns or more, commanding the middle
channel and the passage up the bay.
Outlying from these two points of land Is a
small island known as Sand Island From Fort
Gaines, on Dauphin Island, in a northern drec.
ton, and on the shore-line, is a water battery
mounting nine guns OF long range, and from this
battery TO the nOrthward and westward and up
to Grants Pass, are a series of earthwOrks and
a work known as Fort Powell mounting twelve
guns.
THE HARBOR DISTRACTIONS.
Extending from Fort Morgan across the swash
and middle channels is a line of spile obstruc.
tions, being under the cover and protection of the
guns OF both forts. These were placed there
some time since, and are represented to be quite
formidable and not readily passed through or re-
moved: A small passage-way has been left TO
allow the blockade-runners 10 pass in and out
TO sea.
This opening, lying close to the fort, is care.
fully watched over at night by small picket
boats, which can, at the approach of our vessels
give signal, and the guns of Fort Morgan
number of which are always trained upon that
spot-will open upon the invaders; and, in addi-
tion to this safeguard, the Rebel iron .clads are
moored so that they can move readily to tho fur
ther assistance Of the fort in preventing any YES
sci passing through. So much for the outer land
detenBes.
THE REBEL FLOTILLA.
The energies Of Admiral Buchanan, who has
commanded that naval station since the war
have been directed 20 the preparation of a hota
TO aid the land force in repnlsing any attack upon
that stronghold, and, as Mobile was Thought
at the beginning of the Rebellion to be too near
the sea for naval depot, II was located at Selma
where 1t would be secure from attack. Here no
less than one ram and four or five gunbOats have
been constructed for the navy ofthe COnfederacy.
To give an idea of the importance Of this naval
station we have only TO append list ofthe officers
COmmander-E. Farrand.
First Lieutenant-Van II. Morgan.
Assistant Paymaster-G. II. 0'Neil.
Master-John Pearson.
First Assistant Rngineer-W. Frick Jr.
Carpenter-John T. Rustic.
In addition to these officers there have been
attached 20 the station at various times ordnance
officers of the best talent In the Rebel service,
and several hundred men have been constantly
employed In the construction Of new gunboats
and In refitting old vessels and at the present
time the Rebel navy in Mobile bay consists of the
following vessels -
Names Of Pesseh. Class. No. Of GINS.
Tennessee. Iron clad ram, flagship. 7
Nashyille '...s.,,. Iron clad.
Morgan ...'........Ir0n-c -cad...... .....s.... |
bhltlc' .lron-clad. .s.... 8 |
Selma. .Cotton-clad. ......,....s 4 |
Oaines...s.... ...s Cotton clad ............
Crescent, ........ Cotton clad.... ....,.... 4
AlertA Steamer. er.............,,.. 8 !