The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-05-20
THE DEFENsEs OF RICHMOND.

1uD JET LNOHS Va 1SAVMHAVA'D'
Fortifications Around the Rebel Cap
ital-..Nearly Fifty Forts In the VI.
cinity of the CIty...Descr1Ptlon OF
the Intrcnchments-..D OF
Naval Movements on the James
River. rl
NORFOLK. Nav 3.-In view of the fact that
the campaign just opening is directed almost
solely against the rebel capital, a few o6serva-
tions with reference to the defenses of Rich
mond may not only be OppOrtune, but prove
of decided interest The city is defended by a
series of Notifications of the most elaborate
construction, and erected under the engineer
ing skill of such aDle men as Beauregard, Lee,
Johnston, and other prominent officers in the
rebel service, who by the way, learned their
profession through the lberality of the Gov
eminent they now seek to destroy.
THREE LINES OF WORKS.
They have caused to be erected three dis.
tinct lines of defensive works, each as fOrmid-
able in its character as it is possible to be made,
and so constructed that the fall of one would
not involve the loss of the Others. The works
are of earth-which has been proven the best
material for fOrtifcatiOns-Of great extent,
upon positions naturally strong, mounted with
ordnance of the heaviest calibre, and, on the
whole, are truly formidable as will be proven
should an assault upon them be made. The
reports of rebel deserters, spies from our own
lines, aud escaped prisoners from the Libby, all
agree in the statement that the defenses OF
Richmond are of the most extensive character
General Grant has doubtless full information
respecting them, is therefore acting advisedly
and cannot conceive what harm can arise in
relating all that can gather in relation to them
The James River is defended with every ap-
pliance which human ingenuity or the most
profound engineering skill can devise. Fort
Darling may be considered its principal battery,
and this is really formidable, situated, as it is,
upon Drurys Butt, out of the reach of the guns
from our monitors or other craft, and absolute
ly impregnable to naval attack Besides this
fort, there are minor points upon the banks of
the river, which will prove almost as difficult
to take as Fort Darling.
There are torpedOes almost innumerable
within the immediate vicinity of Richmond,
which are planted with the intention to cause
the immediate destruction of any gunboats
which might possibly force their way above
Fort Darling. There are also Instructions in
the river, consisting of sunken barges, canal
boats and other vessels, which must cause inn
mediate delay to the attempt of any hostile
vessel to pass up and during which guns
could be brought to bear upon the approach
ing craft, which, by their plunging fire, would
almost instantly cripple, If not sink her. The
channel of the James is exceedingly tortuitous
Indeed, in this respect, its equal con scarcely
be found on the continent
The portion of the river within the enemys
country, so to speak, or that part which is ma
turally capable Of defense by reason of the in
tricacieS of the channel, is so formed that any
hostile fleet would stand but u poor chance if it
were possible to keep the banks of the river
well defended, and even then 1t is not imprOb-
able that the torpedOes and other internal ap-
planes would perform their work ut the bid
ding of even a solitary individual. Therefore
it is cOnjectured that the naval approach to
Richmond nv lanes ia
able.
The Peninsula route in this eXigency be-
comes an important matter for discussion, but
not all important, for the movement thereupOn
is considered entirely secondary. Since McClel-
Ian operated on that line of approach and the
weak points in the defenseS have been guarded,
and defects which were then apparent have been
remedied; SO that the line of the Peninsula
is quite as impregnable as the highest
engineering skill can make it. 1t will not be
contraband to state in this connection that
Gen. w. F. {. Baldy') Smith is moving upon
this line. 1t is certain that he will meet with
the most formidable distractions, exceeding,
in fact, those encountered by Gen. Mcclellan !;
and it is not supposed that he will do more
than menace the rebel capital from this point.
But as his movements, subsequent to his ar
rival at the field of active operations, will de-
pend upon state of affairs which cannot now
be cOnjectured, it is useless to speculate
upon the probable movements of Gen. Grants
favOrite engineer.
THE OTHER APPROACHES TO RICHMOND.
AS in the other cases, whatever weak points
were revealed by General Fitzpatrick, in his
late raid, have been guarded at the northwest
approach to the rebel capital, as also the ave
nues leading thereto in q more sOutherly di-
rection. The exterior line of Notifications
upen which Fitzpatrick, when q Colonel, plant
ed one of his guidons, will scarcely be recog-
nized now, so formidable have they become
As the outheastern approaches are Nit under
consideration in the present campaign, it is
not, worth while to discuss them. A
siege of the city is not Immediately
probable, for the reason that before the
investment can take place Gen. Lees army
must be driven inside the lines of Notifications
and his retrogade movement will be attended
with such results as will perhaps materially
change Gen. Grants plans, and open entirely
new theories of the pregnable points-shOuld
such eXist-to discussion. Richmond is capa-
BILE of being defended by very small force
The Notifications were constructed with this
view, and if the garrison is increased in num-
Der to the extent of Lees army the siege of
the city will be matter of far greater moment
than even that of Vicksburg; and Gen. Grant
will require all the talents and force at his
command in order to crown his efforts with