September 16th.—I inspected, with General Commanding
Pemberton and
Brigadier-General Jordan, my
Chief of Staff, and
Colonels Gonzales,
Chief of Artillery, and Lay, C. S.
Inspector-General, four new sand-batteries, en
barbette, near the west end of
Sullivan's Island, bearing on the floating boom which is being laid across the channel to
Fort Sumter.
These batteries are not yet finished, and only two 10-inch columbiads are in position, one not being serviceable yet. The magazines are not yet constructed.
The boom is composed of
railroad iron, strongly linked together with heavy iron bands, and is protected and buoyed up by pieces of timber of the length of the bars, bound together by iron rings.
The bars are four feet under water, and the whole is anchored every sixth section with an anchor.
About one-fourth of this boom is laid.
It has been tested, I am informed, by running against it a loaded vessel towed by a steamboat, but, it resisted well, parting the tow-line, a two-inch hawser.
I am told it will all be completed in a week or ten days. It is proposed, also, to lay another one about one hundred yards in rear of this one, if sufficient chains and anchors can be had; also a rope obstruction about the same distance in front of the other, the object of which is to entangle the propellers of the enemy's steamers while under the fire of the heavy guns of the fort.
The armament of the four sandbatteries is to consist of seven 10-inch columbiads, one 8-inch columbiad, and two 42-pounder rifled guns.
Fort Sumter has
forty-six heavy guns (above 32-pounders), and
Fort Moultrie nine heavy guns, bearing at once on these obstructions.
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There will, besides, be two strong gunboats, armed each with four guns, to assist in their defence.
I am informed they will be finished in one month.
They are considered by me perfectly indispensable in the defence of this harbor.
We thus visited the
Neck Battery, on
Morris Island, erected to defend the approach to
Fort Sumter.
It is not yet entirely completed, requiring about two weeks longer to finish it. Its gorge ought to be entirely closed, to prevent surprise.
A few rifled guns ought also to be put to bear on the main channel.
On returning I inspected the small work (
Fort Ripley) now being built on cribs in the bay, about half-way between Castle Pinckney and
Fort Johnson.
It is intended for five heavy guns
en barbette, and is nearly ready for its armament.
Its foundation ought to be protected outside to the high-water mark with
debris. A series of these small works in shallow water nearer to the entrance of the harbor would be very advantageous.
I did not visit Castle Pinckney, the armament of which is nine 24-pounders and one 24-pounder, rifled, as I am acquainted already with this work, and consider it nearly worthless, capable of exerting but little influence on the defence of
Charleston.
September 17th.—I inspected this day, with
General Pemberton and
Colonels Gonzales and
Lay, the defensive lines on
James Island from the Wappoo to near
Secessionville — a distance of about five miles. They consist of a system of forts, redoubts, redans, and
cremailleres, not very properly arranged and located, with the exception of
Fort Pemberton, on the
Stono, and of some of the redoubts.
A simpler system might, I think, have been originally devised, requiring a smaller number of men to defend it. However, the present one ought to answer our purpose, with a proper force of about one and a half men to the running yard of development.
Each redoubt and redan has at least one heavy gun now in position.
The lines between
Dill's Creek and the Wappoo are not yet entirely completed, requiring about fifteen days more.
Fort Pemberton is a strong work, and has an armament of twenty guns of various calibres.
There are two batteries on the
Ashley River to defend it and the entrance into
Dill's Creek and the Wappoo.
For want of guns they are still unprovided with their armament, except the one at
Lawton's, which has four guns (32-pounders) of little use.
September 18th.—I inspected this day, accompanied by the same officers as on the 17th inst.,
Forts Moultrie and
Sumter, which were found to be in fine order and condition, considering the repairs in progress at the latter.
The armament of the first consists of thirty-eight guns of various calibres, from 24-pounders to 8-inch columbiads, and the garrison of about 300 effective men. The armament of the second work consists of seventy-nine guns of various calibres, from 32-pounders to 10-inch columbiads, and seven 10-inch mortars, and the garrison of about 352 effective men. The barracks in the latter work are being reduced in height, to protect them from the enemy's shots.
The small steam-engine for making fresh water is in rather an exposed position.
It ought to be removed to a safer place or be properly protected.
Battery Beauregard, across
Sullivan's Island, in advance of
Fort Moultrie, to defend the approach from the east, is armed with five guns.
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The work at the eastern extremity of the island, to defend the interior approach by water to the rear and west of
Long Island, is a redoubt, armed with eight guns—two 32-pounders, the rest small guns.
I am informed by
