Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1865-02-02
Description of Fort Fisher.

The correspondent of the N. Y. Tribune
at Fort Fisher writes:
No description can convey an adequate
idea OF the stupendous strength and almost
Titanic proportions OF the combined works
of Forts Fisher, Mound Fort--the Redan
Of the main line-and Fort Buchanan, the
crowning work of the whole. The latter is
pronounced by competent officers who have
Inspected it, the colnpletost specimen of
engineering skill to which the present war
has given birth. The name is given in
honor Of Commodore Buchanan, who, it
will be remem bered, fought and blew up the
Merrimac, and was finally captured by tho
heroic Farragut, with loss of one leg, at
Mobile. 1t was a naval fort, in charge of
five naval officers, and garrisoned by l22
men. 1t is now garrisoned by the 9th
United States Colored Troops, in command
Of Brevet Brig. Gen. Backlnan.
The foit is about three hundred and fifty
feet long from North to South, and two
hundred from East to West at the base,
with shelf fifty feet in length on the ends
half the hight of the center 1t is rounded
at the corners, with handsome sIoping
glacis sown all over with beach grass. Near
the East front, sunk in the top of the work,
~ g 'iShOh Vtoh S'Cpo W uOSCCbu Ut GuCU
end, and banquette on each side for in
tantry The pit is thirty PAGES in length,
and five feet deep. On the Northwest angle
'Ot the shelf, sunk and mounted on cir
cular track, on pivot, is an ll-nch Brooks
rited gun OF handsome finish. 1t is so
mounted as to sweep in any desired direc-
ton. Ii was this gun which did such exc
cution upon our mea after they had noun
ted the Northwest angle of Fort Fisher
In straight line from Fisher it is about
one and half miles. Next to it is another
OF precisely the same pattern similarly
mounted, and two l0inch columbiads, all
commanding the channel at half mile
West OF the fort. A boat howitzer makes
up the armament. There are entrances
from the gunbeds to covered-ways which
pass at right angles with each other through
every portion of the fort at least fifteen feet
below the surface. Every square foot of
space on the sides of these passage. ways is
filled with the most perfect fixed ammuni-
ton. There is besides, a lower bombproof,
in which the wounded were placed during
the fight. The main passage-way opens
towards the East, and forms sally port for
entry and egress; but it can be closed at
pleasure. This work excites the admira-
ton Of every one who visits it. 1t was here
that about SIX hundred rebels who escaped
from the main work took refuge, awaiting
the arrival of boats to take them of. Here
Gen. Whiting and Col. Lamb we're carried
on stretchers after they were wounded. and
our men had driven them out Lieutenant
Wilson, of the 9Th U. s. Q. T., the officer
Of the day. politely conducted your corre-
spohdent through the entire work. English
gunners were employed in this battery.
The chief one contrived plan for blowing
up the fort, the magazine to be fred
by opening the door of the bomb proof
The surgeon protested against the sacrifice
of the wounded men, aud the fort was
saved.
Mound Fort forms the extreme South
west end Of the sea face OF the fort, aud,
as its name indicates, is vast mound,
higher than any other part of the sxtsneive
works. 1t is ascended by long fight of
steps up the West slope, through a sally
port cut in soping gorge into the crest Of
the mound, There are two 10 inch colum-
biads mounted here, one of which Is liter
ally covered by the blood of the gunners
who stood by 1t during the naval lombard
ment.