Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-08-18
THE DEFENCEs OF MOBILE.

THE DEFENCEs OF MOBILE
Inc present movement probably designed not much
Tor the capture of the city Of Mobile as is to obtain pos
session Of Dauphu Island and Mobile Poot 81 that the
habUr can be eectuaIy bookadet and at the same time
to relieve the large Unen feet of that place who
have been hourly Threatened with attack from the rebel
lron-clads lying under the guns of Fort Morgan =
Mobile perhaps tho best defended place in the Gulf
ami it will require all the dash of Farragut to gain foot
hold inside the deences is ony protected by heavy
forces, well armed but by formidable hoa of iron.oad
rams guuboats and cotton cl4ds and this feet must bs
destroyed or driven we'll up the bay before it will be safe
for the wooden vessels to pass in
Nature in laying out the bay, out long sandy pen
lnsua called Mobile Poiu upon which the United States
Government placed strong work mounting one hundred
and thtyx guns two tiers in easement and one en- bar
bette This is situated the starboard right side of the
ent to the bay through the swash channel On the
port lett hand aide is situated Dauphn Island on whose
eastern extremity located Fort Gaines also casemated
work mounting some fifty guns more commanding the
middle channel and the passage up the bay OUTLYING from
these two points of land is small island known Sand
Island From Fort Gaines, Dauphn Island in north
erly direction, and the shore ne is water battery
mounting nine guns of long range and from tins battery to
the norhward and westward and up TO Grants Pass are
series of earth works, and work known Fort Powell
mounting twelve guns
Extending from Fort Morgan across the swash and mid
die channels line OF spie obstructons being under the
aud protection OF the guns of both FORTS These
placed there time SINCE and represented to
be quite formidable and not readily passed through or rs
moved small passage way has been left TO allow the
blockade to pass and to sea- phis opening
lying coe to the FORT is carefully watched over at night
by small picket boats which at the approach OF
vessels, give signal aud the guns of Fort Mogau-a
number OF which are always trained upon that spot-wl
open upon the INVADERS and addition this safeguard
the rebel IRON cais are moored that they can move
reauy to the further assistance Of the fort in preventing
any vessel passing through so much for the land
defences.
The energies of Admir- al Buchanan who has commanded
that naval station SINCE the have been directed the
preparation OF ho, to aid the land forces in repusng
any attack upon that stronghold aud as Mobile was
thought at tho beginning Of the rebellion to be too
the Sen for naval depot 1t located at Selma where
it would be secure from an attack Here no less than
one and four five gupb0ats have been constructed
Tor the navy OF the Consderacy At the present the
rebel navy In Mobile Buy consists of the following vessels
Name of Tessels Class No of Gums
Tennessee Iron clad ram flag shp...7
Nashville. Iron-ciad ............
Morsan lron clad 5
Ba ..Ironclad .-.-.............
selma; ...--..------'..--Cot tonca +....--.-.,..
Gaines Cotton clad ......-...4
Crescent Cotton clad ......-.....-
Coast guard-four small steamers. ................lO
Admiral Franklin Buchanan commanding.
The rebel troops at Mobile were at one time under the
command of Major Gen. Simon Bolivar Buckner, C. s.
Army On toe 9,h of February, 1863 Majar Cen E.
Kirby Smith went to Mobile to take charge of the post
or to command portion Of Buckner's army Subse-
quenty Major Gen. Dabuey Maury, c. s. Army re.
leved him. and now in command OF the forces in that
vicinity Owing To tho presence Of Gen Sherman in the
Southwest large force has been to the army oppos
ing him. that at the present time there not more than
from two to four thousand men guarding Mobile.
Strong hes OF entrenchmrnts have been thrown M
encrchng the city from Dog round thu Ala
bama river aud less than twelve large independent
earhworss have been constructed in Of the line Of
entertainments. On Point Pntos is a nne-Qun battery
commanding the line Of entrenchments aud one of the
channels approaching the city AtGarrows Bend s five
gun battery aso commanding the Instructions and the
IN aln ship channel for distance of nearly three miles
The remaining earthworks in the vicinity of the cty ara
intended more particularly to epulse landing of troops
on the western shores land attack which could be
mad at Portsrvlle from the Mississippi Sound, march
ing thence up the road TO Spring Hill The entrench-
m7nts are about fifteen miles in length, and we're built
some time ago
piles and earth, and this ha been erected casemated
battery mounting ten most powerful guns viz three 100
FOUNDER rifles four 9iuch Dablgens and three long 81
Founders
Between the marsh battery and the Alabama river and
near The latter red ubt which sweeps the level plat
over which 1t keeps guard, AID it commands as well
portion OF the bay. Passing further the northward
another redoubt is met small village on the rail
road, which mounts four heavy guns. At Threemile
creek Is another edoub WITCH guards the railroad bridge
10 the west OF Mobile series Of
miles IN extent defended by formidable breastwork and
rhepits extending from the Shell road" entirely around
the city to the river Between the Alabama river and the
ohell r0Ad SIX gun battery commands the positio,
Fort Morgan, the main protection to the city, or rather
h5 entrance OF the bay, Is situated Mobile Point IL
cost the United States Government in its and
ar aDent about one million FIVE hundred thousand doars
and IL ctpabl, of mounting hundred and thiry-two
guns aud garrison Of seven hundred men for eye opera
IONS built upon the point of old Fort Boyer which
Was noted Tor lts successful resistance Of British feet on
the l4th OF September, 1914 The old fort was small
red"ubt with all armament of twenty short rronades
ana garrisoned by only hundred aud twenty men all
told. 80 "
On the day above mentioned tour Brtsh vessels carry
lug ninety guns sailed up aud opened FIRE upon the fort
having previously prepared landing force of over seven
hundred and fifty men, with two pieces of artillery After
shai engagement the British completely repulssd
win ltss Of two hundred and thirty.two killed and
wounded and the Commodores flag ship entirely de
stroyed
Fort Ganes situated on Dauphin Island. minUles it,
hire with the gum Of Fort Morgan making severe cro.s
nre This work was intended t. mount bout ffty guns
aud was unconpeed when the broke out The rsbes
nave expended considerable pains upon it, and II il re-
ported TO be very formidable at the present time.
Land HOrkS. Gu,s
-. r, l3b
rort Gaines OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES so
Batttry on Dduphin Island. .................... 9
Ao"ei Stant fass.--..---......,.----- IL
Oher WORKS. ..,.......-..........-.-...,.,I 10
Total ,,s...s.----.....--.-.......2l7
ftointa. Guns
Irnpn 1aI.