The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1865-06-09
AVisit to the Forts in Charleston Har.

AVisit to the Forts in Charleston Har.
Dor.
Mr. Fulton writes to the Baltimore finer
ican an account of his visit to the forts in !
Charleston harbor. We copy some inter.
esting passages: ...
FORT SUMTER.
"Tbe amount OF work dono 10 keep up
the defensive power Of Fort Sumter has
been immense, both inside and outside of
the walls. On tho anglo OF the fort, where
the Dupont attack was made, and which had
never afterwards been reached by our shells,
the outside marks are deep and effective,
and along the lower casemaie es timber sup
ports were erected to sustain the walls,
which are cracked and broken to an aston
ishing extent
Fort Sumter, from being an immense
brick fortfcation. has been gradually trans.
formed into an immense aud powerful
earthwork. About q dozen of its casemate
guns are still intact, and, though II could
not now pour forth its broadsides as il did
on the Monitor fleet when attacked by Ad-
miral Dupont, 1t was enablcd to effectualiy
protect the limo of obstructtons between
Sumter and Moultrie, and protect itself
from assault. Even If an assaulting party
should have effected lodgment, it is gvi
don't that it was the Rebels intention to ro.
sire to their bomb-proofs, use the rifle from
the Ioop-holes, and allow the surrounding
Rebel works to pour shot and shell into the
fort until tho assailants should be compelled
10 rotire. The immense parade ground in
the centre is perfectly clear of rubbish, and,
us you stand in it's centre and look up at
the surrounding desolation, it strongly re-
minds you of tho view from the centre of
tho amphtheatre of the Coliseum at Rome
FORT MoULTRIE.
After spending about an hour among the
historic ruins of Sumter, wo crossed over to
Sullivan's Island to visit Fort Moultrie and
its contiguous works, extending several
miles above and below the old fort-includ.
ing Battery Beauregard, Battery Bee, Fort
Ripley, and host of others, mounting
more than a hundred guns, among which
were number of English man utactare. and
one from the wreck of the Kookuk, the fol.
low of which is mounted on the Charleston
battery. These works are in fue condition,
and but few OF the guns are spiked. The
magazines arc filed with powder, and i'm
mense piles OF shot and shell are strewn
around in every direction. Marks of shells
from the IrOnsides and the Monitors are
visible in and around old Fort Moultre, in
front of which the wrecks of dozen or
moro biockaderunnars are visible, which
bad been grounded and destroyed by our
fleet.
O.. Tho old Moultrie House, and nearly ell
the cottages which once beautified SulIivan's
Island, have either disappeared or are in
ruins, and MoultrievilIe is, in reality. DO
moro. This was formerly the favorItc sum.
mer resort of Charlesto tonians, but now pre-
sent q most dosolate and forbidding aspect.
We walked for mile or more through
these immense works, interspersed by
bomb. proofs. not less than twenty foot high,
Iho raising of which in this fiat and sandy
country must have boon work of great
magnitude. The sand is held firm by heavy
sodding of peat from the neighborng
swamps, on some of which heavy groom
foliage has made its appearance.
FORT JOHNSON.
After leaving M0ultrie We crossed the
harbor to James Island, on the point of
which is Fort johnson, work near
ly as large and formidable as those
on Sullivan's Island. Tho limo OF tho
work is elegantly constructed, and extends
nearly two miles up the shore Of tho inlet.
with heavy abattis in front. There are 9TH
er works connecting with it, extending near
ly FIVE miles from tho harbor, mounting in
NIL about one hundred guno. To garrison
sposo ouu 'ho SuiiouuuipS woihn muet ha'o
roqaired not less than ten thousand men.
Tho quantities of powder and ammuni-
hon strewn about are immense, and, with
the exception Of spiking some of the guns,
little or no damage has been done to any
part of tho works. Some of the gun car
riages have been hacked with axes, but the
workmen appear to have got tired before
completing their destructsve intentions.
FORT PINCKNEY.
Fort Pincknoy, opposite tho city, which
at The commencement of the war was
brick work, has been banked up with sand
30 that the old structure, with the exception
OF tho chimneys, is entirely invisible. I'll
now presents quite q formidable appearance,
and would doubtless have done good serv-
ice against our tleOt bad it succeeded in
passing Sumter. a. A'