The New York herald., 1868-03-18

The engineer who planned the chain Of defences
diferent elevations and bring cross fire ON every
depression OF the surface On the Virginia there Is
less uniformity in the line than on the Maryland side
The forts do not form semicrcle, but rather zig
gag, moving inward abruptly from the river at one
end and struggling down about Alexandria at the
Fort Lincoln forms ths commencement OF the the
chain. or, as 1t were one OF the salient angles
OF the whole Gordon OF defences. Situated at con-
siderable elevation and commanding the country for
leagues around this fort presents first appearance
formidably defensive outline. grand natural es-
should be Of aver very IS sesacrcins % disposition to nd
vance, At the inner side Is thin wood OF tall trees
into which, II driven from the fort, its defenders
might retire. But old Fort Lincoln s sadly or rather
happily altered from its original SELF Occupying
long and irregular rectangle, with deep moat
a,l AROUND anu nou advancing saiien,s, Win oonD-
down In the bowels OF the earth, 1t is now but the
shadow OF Its former self, Its parapet overthrown
In divers places, bombproofs proof no longer even
10 the rains OF heaven, its magazines Fastening 20
decay and all around speaking of the return OF peace
and the overthrow OF the reign OF strife. From the
parapet OF Fort Lincoln one can see stretching
away for miles lovely section OF Mary
land, dotted with farm houses, woods pastures,
peopled eminences, villages, church spires and all
the evidences OF civilization; but are told that
from that peaceful, pastoral, delightful quarter ten
Thousand armed rebels have threatened TO approach
Washington, clean out Congress and make Ben Wade
depart with undignifed haste for his hoosier home
in Ashtabnla. These ten thousand dreadful fellows
can come II they please for neither Fort Lincoln
Its neighbor, Fort Bunker on the lower parallel
ridge, can utter a solitary remonstrance No note
from the metallic throat OF a Parrot or Rodman
can nterpose ITSELF The guns and gun carriages are
gone, the saents are SILENT and the once powerful
fort s stripped OF all offensive and defensive mean
ing. so 1t is with Fort Bunker, and SO 1t IS with
Forts Slocum Stevens Reno, Mansfield and Sumner.
They dot the shoulder and the summit Of every
elevation but their red earthen walls crumbling
rapidly away their revitmens yielding to the In
nuence OF weather and neglect and Maryland
rebels with pop-guns and to the limited number
OF dozen could walk over all these formidable
giants. What Is Congress doing in the meantime
and where Is Stantons brigade Of seventy-ave men9
Does the latter ignore Maryland and its fierce rebel
cement and dread only the and solitary guer-
lila M0sby9 Crossing over from Maryland we find
forts Ethan Allen, COrcoran, Whpple, Mcpherson,
Albany, Runyon and Lyon, all but one dismanted,
disappearing as vestiges OF the great conflict, min
Cling fast with the original soil, barren OF every
thing formidable but the deep and tenacious
mud. What s Stanton doing, and Is Congress an
unconscious OF its dangerp M0sby, all alone, could
capture each In turn-coud walk over all in one
brief night II the mud failed to hold him. and march
triumphant up to the very windows OF the War De-
partment. lew, however are armed, Forts FoOte,
Whipple Greble and washington, which are down
the river, and out OF Mosby's way, are provided
for with light and heavy guns, ammunition,
&c. Mosby will never trouble these; they
lie outside the line Of his approach and
are safe from harm; but can 1t be possible that
Congress will make no appropriation to restore its
wonted strength to each particular fort now fast
fastening to run that the capital of the nation but
OF War, may be preserved to the people from the
treacher0us end designing men in the Valley OF
Virginia. represented in the person Of the redoubta-
BILE MOsby,