Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-11-16
FORTRESS MONROE.
Gibraltar Like Protection to Washing
ton, Richmond and Baltimore.

i The military drills and manoeuvres
exposition next year will serve to d.
rect an unusual degree Of public at
tention to Fortress Monroe, Virginia,
situated at the junction Of Chesapeake
bay and Hampton Roads. and direct
ly facing the broad Atlantic. Control
ling the water approaches to the cities
Of Washington, Baltimore and Rich
mond, as well az an extensive area OF
thickly populated territory In the
states of Virginia and Maryland.
Fortress Monroe is, by virtue Of its
position, one Of the most important
defensive works Of Uncle Sans sea-
board. but aside from these consider
ations there are features which make
II unique and interesting.
Fortress Monroe Is the largest and
strongest fertilization in the United
States has, indeed, been aptly de-
nominated ''the American Gibraltar
-and Is the chief artillery post OF
our government. The fortress is To-
Gated at what is known as Old Point
Comfort. this name having been sup
piled TO the promontory by the English
settlers because of the perfect shelter
and safe anchorage It Afforded their
vessels when they first appeared OF
this continent three centuries ago.
The fore-runner Of the present noble
fortificatjon was palisaded fort built
in 1914. The present fort. as Il stands
today, was built in 1918. and its mas
sive walls and winding moat make 1t
one OF the most picturesque places In
the country. The general plan is
that of an irregular hexagon. three
sides of which command the water
front while three lookout upon the
land. The ramparts rise TO an eleva-
ton Of 50 feet above the water, and
the walls, including the earth back
ing, are so feet in thickness The
moat surrounds the entire work to a
depth Of six feet and the water is
controlled by tidal gates The forti-
fication has cost Uncle Sam, all told.
many millions Of dollars. but the
post, with its sand batteries, lookout
towers and disappearing guns. is an
objecr lesson calculated to stir the
patriotism Of every American and
infuse confidence as to its impregna-
bility.
The entire tract occupied by Fort
ress Monroe is. OF course, a United
States military reservation. the State
of Virginia having after the close
of the war for independence. ceded
the strip OF land which contains about
80 acres. Not all of this is enclosed
within the walls OF the fort, the inte-
rior of the defensive works covering an
area OF about 6s acres. The main
entrance to the, fort, approached by
a bridge spanning the moat, Is i'm
pressive, consisting Of massive granite
columns from which hang ponderous
double gates, designed to be closed
and barricaded in time of need against
the enemy. The central portion Of
the space within the Qualifications Is
given over to q spacious parade
ground. where daily drills are held.
This parade ground is surrounded by
large brick barracks - including
model barracks of the army--and
the comfortable brick cottages which
constitute the quarters Of the officers
and their families. The present
strength of the garrison is about 500
enlisted men and 40 officers.
Visitors are always welcome at Fort
tress Monroe, but the secrets Of its
armament, etc., are zealously guarded.
Sightseers are never allowed to walk
on the interior slopes and gravelled
paths leading to the ramparts-ap-
proaches arranged for the convenient
handling Of heavy guns and the rapid
movements Of troops--or to pass In
the vicinity Of the observation tower
which commands clear view Of the
harbor and surrounding country, and
where the commanding officer is in
direct communication by telephone
with every battery on this extensive
work. The guns which command the
harbor include some Of the heaviest
ordnance in service. The Gatewood
battery Of rapid fire guns is feature
of the armament at Monroe, and near
at hand is the worlds fair search
light, the largest and most powerful
In the country. Over the bastion
floats the garrison flag and the salut-
ing battery is also located here.
A picturesque feature Of the big vir-
ginia fertilization Is the long row OF
cavelike rooms built under the ram
parts. These are the casemates and
a majority Of them are now occupied
as quarters by some officers and their
families. One Of these classmates that
is Of especial interest to tourists is
the one In which Jefferson Davis was
confined as a prisoner after the
close of the Civil war. Several
Of the classmates are utilized as
storage places for various types
of submarine mines, all ready
for prompt use. There are numerous
supplementary buildings within the
L
post chapel and soldiers library.
However, the activities Of this impor-
tant post have rather outgrown the
space within the fertilization and
many Of the most important build
ings are now located outside the mas
sive walls. Here are to be found the
administration building and offices Of
the commanding officer, the post hos
pital, the post office and the Army
Young Mems Christian association
building presented to the enlisted men
Of Fortress Monroe by Miss Helen Mil
ler Gould, as g. memorial to her father
and mother.
Outside the walls of the fort but
within the confines Of the government
reservation are located the buildings
Of the rapidly expanding United States
Artillery school, governmental in
stitution where graduates of West
Point take a post graduate course in
| the practical application of the theory