The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-04-23
RETROSPECTIVE.

Something About Fort Monros-Ths
Best way to Take Trip TO the Old
Dominion - Some Amusing Scenes
and Inoidsnts,
A description of q trip to Old Point
Comfort would be incomplete without
saying something about Fort Monroe.
which stands like grim and mighty
sentinel at the mouth of the James
river. The writer was there twenty
nine years ago. but everything was
then very different to what 1t now is
At that time 1t was reported, and NO
doubt truly, that General Lee contem-
plated an attack on this stronghold,
which, If he could have been success
full, would have been OF the greatest
value to the rebels. Consequently
men were hastily forwarded from all
quarters, and while there were not less
than ten thousand men in the fort.
there were fully that many more in
the i'm mediate vicinity on the outside.
Had the rebels made the contemplated
attack, they would have met with
even worse repulse than at Gettys.
burg, and the war might have been
ended at least one year sooner.
The fort to-day is not what IL was
then; at that time it was bristlinE with
armed men, and person could
scarcely walk rod without bein 4
stopped by watchful sentry. Now
one can go whore he plcases. and the
few sentinels allow him to pass with
a smile and q nod.
This fort covers about so acres OF
ground, and is the largest in the
world. A fort was first constructed
at this place by man named harvey,
In March, 1889, but it was rude al
fair.
The supply of ammunition was OBJ.
tained by compelling every ship that
passed up the James river to pay fee
In powder and bail, or N onsy. In lttd
the grounds upon which the present
fort alta ds was ceede1 to the United
States by the Legislature OF Virginia,
to he used asa military post, aud Gen
eral Simeon Bernard a foreign engi-
neer, WAS employed TO design the forti-
fications, with instructions to make it
| the best and strongest in the world.
| lie work or erection was comm ancfa
| in 1877, and continued Tor years. The
walls are or granite, aud are So feet
| high and surrounded BY ruoat from
rs to $50 feet wide.
Tie water in this moat is feet deep
at high tide, aid it is crossed by
niidGes which can be removed a pleas
uie. Two sides of tho fort are on the
wa.er front, and Four loal; out unon
the land. On the land sida, tha ram
PARTS arc solid, with the exception Of
some Of this TANKS. which gre case.
mated, but ON tho water.stde the ar ma.
nent consists OF two tiers of guns,
one Of which il; casemated and the
other in Larbette. improvements wrra
continually being made. and when tbs
rebellion broke out thu total cost 81
tie Tort WAS about two and Aaii mil
lion dollars.
IEc interior of the fort In ricelv laid
cut with bfoHa and pat;iHisy shaded
WALKS. From tbs raullar}s TOO visitor
hes view icr InHHF Ei!s5. with lamp
ton RoaiiS.o the water site, and d
! leauiiiui AID picturssulia country ~
tho rear. TIE tort is mouatrd wiki
three hundred gums and tho garrison
consists OF about four hundred men.
One OF the principal objects vi interest
to visitor Is the easement in which
tie the arch traitor 3eiT beyfs wRsGon.
tined after his capture at the close oi
The war There are a nuni. er OF
buildings inside Of the fort including
a chapel, where service 10 hsld every
Sunday.
J When this fort WAS kailt II WIS con
sidetnd impfegnAb.c, and during the
10 tLlieh 1t is tlHahlyul il it cSuIu have
been esatdrcd ny an army Of men
with HE then most inpf owed snginel
IL Wal. tut now, with rho great sd
vance that has bssn made IN heavs
guns and proiactiles il is dcutttul i
il could stana q prolonged siege.