The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1865-01-18
The Capture of Fort MoAllister-Vivid
Description Of the Assault.
Correspond ne. Or Tie Cincinnati Glzst.s

Correspond Ecs or Tie Cincinnati Ciz-t.s
The stOrming Of the fOrtilicatious has ~,
parallel in the war. The fort stands upOi
the right bank Of Ogechee river aOOu
eight miles from It's mouth. near pOin
where the river makes 4 sharp and very
long bend. The fort is On the first iirn lln,
above this point, the whole penin- IA bein-
covered with all impeneirable swamp Tvs,
faces OF the work alone could be aplI cache,
from the land. IL Is rectangular work o.
sand one hundred and hily yards lone. %,
one hundred wide. Tie top OF the paIupp
Is eighteen feet thick, The ditch is eigh
teen feet wide al the top. about twelve Zee,
deep, and nine feet wide al the bottom.
Through the center Of the ditch strong
line OF pointed stakes were driven from
TWO 10 three inches apart. and heavy hOwit-
Zers were placed SO rs 10 rake the bitches
| completely. Outside the ditch tie ground
was smooth and unObs,ructed To- 4 distance
I Of fifty yards. Here an abaitis OF unusual
strength was firmly planted. Ii was made
OF pine trees eight inches in diameter
placed with their trunks eighteen inches
from each other, while their stiff branches
were interlacee and sharpened The abat-
tis was nine feet in hight. Outside of this,
and on line varying in distance from ten
These consisted of ten-inch shells. so con
structed that the slightest weight would ex-
plode them. They were buried few inch
es under the sand, at intervals Of nine feet.
forming a terrible obstacle to an assault
The interior Of the fort is cut up into deep
chambers by eight hinge traverses Of sand.
rising ten feet above the parapet. The in
terror Of the fort is several feet lower than
the bottom of the ditch, and in the passages
formed by these traverses and the walls OF
the work the guns were mounted. Each
gun was thus in fertilization by itself, and
a fOrtncatlOn SO strong that the heaviest
shots which our monitors can throw had
failed TO make any impression upOnit. The
traverses mentioned contained the maya
zines, store-houses and bomb proofs. The
/ fort was provisiOned for two months, and
the supply Of ammunition was abundant.
( The armament consisted OF twenty three
guns, OF the following caliber:
3 l0-inch COlumbiads, S-inch COlumbiad
2 32-lb rifles, 3 32-lb smooth. l 42-lb smooth
l 24-lb hOwitzer 2 l2-lb hOwitzers. . NapO-
leon l2-lb lb mountain hOwitzers.
/ The heavier ones commanded the water
approaches, while the lighter guns were to
resist land attack. Three OF the heavy
guns could be used on the road side also.
The garrison consisted Of two hundred and
twenty, officers and men. all Georgia troops.
In rear OF the fort, and looking up the river
from il, the ground is entirely clear for
about eight hundred yards, and perfectly
overlooked from The fort On line envel-
oping the two land faces OF the fort. at the
distance named from il, and about equally
removed from each other and the extrem
tiles Of this liie are three thin groves Of
pine. In the rear of these are open fields
extending back two hundred yards TO n
dense woods. In the edge Of these our
troops formed for their desperate work.
The army had reached the vicinity of the
coast but rs yet had found no outlet 10 il.
such immense works as Fort McAllister
irowned over every Inlet and river. Some
ono must be carried 1t once. OF the army
would soon be in 4 suffering and HELPLESS
condition. The last bread and meat was
given to these men who started 10 open up
this new line Of supplies, and they were
tsld that on their efforts new supply of
food depended.
Nine regiments We're detailed from Gen
eral HaZen's division of tho 18Th Corps.
three from each brigade.
The ground having been reconnoitered
the previous day 10y the cavalry, the troops
were formed in line in the woods. and
moved forward. Warning OF = line OF tor
pedOes across the main road about i mile
from the fort having been received the line
avoided them, but the signal detachment OF
the 18th compromising OF ten mounted
men-dashed up the road over these torpe-
dods, unconscious Of their danger, cleared
the place IN safety, captured the picket on
the main road, and established their station
on the river bank only eight hundred wards
ha ~ nj III
clump Of trees. Meanwhile the lines were
forming.
Our Western troops had never formed for
their accustomed work in such q spot as
this, nor had such task ever been allotted
them before. With no covering lire OF ar
tlhery, with no forlOrn hope to clear away
obstacles and I'll the ditch with no reserves
TO strengthen them if tha death storm
proved 10 fierce. but in single line. they
with their bayOnets alone were 10 carry the
strongest work their ewes had ever looked
on; on failing, We're TO bring suffering. Per
haps. upon the army.
The aspect OF these woods. where men
were marShalng for such purpose. was
enough TO chill even brave soldiers hearts.
The tall dark pines stood in thick ranks.
covered with thick robes Of long gray moss
waving ghostlike; the darker live oaks. COW +
cred also, and festOOned with vines. forming
long aiSles and corridors, while the high
arches reached flr upward. all dim. and sad
and gloomy and still as some Old cathedral
crowded With wOrshipers and hushed IN
prayer. And earnest were the petitions.
solemn was the worship, and rich tie sue
,ince IN those temples that day. Soldiers
10 face death bravely, but ever as men. AMI
-heir hearts shrink from it, terrOrs rs the
great hear. Of humanity ever has. And
sucn scenes each soldier erects an altor in
us own heart, and as its priest. he minis
.ers there according 10 the light he has.
For short time those ranks stood silent
waiting orders. And thought was very
busy. Fathers and mothers Won are NOT
Orgotten n such an hour; sisters. longing
or tne sight OF brothers flce once more 1
.our Image even now IS before that eve. so \
lxed IN thought. Maidens. dearer than
lie Itself 10 those honOred vetrans. you NAV
hank God that the tenderness OF such
ough visaSed men is lavished upon Won
'nd that their earliest aud latest and holi-
81 thoughts are Of home and heaven. and
-ou.
Du' lhlS cnance season Of preparation for
leath' which ali in some degree improve.
vas ended soon. The heavy guns Of the
ort opened upon the woods: but mislakinrr !
ne position Of the line, fred over il. Sol
sno' ana large charges Of canister and
ope Irom columbiadS came sweeping {
nrougn the treetops, swapping the tai {
zines as one UOuld suraa,, g,.-r.SS