The North Carolina coast and its points of interest and defence.
The following description of the main points now threatened by the
Yankees on the coast of
North Carolina, may not prove uninteresting at this juncture:
Hatteras Inlet — the Granary of the South.
Hatteras Inlet, nearly midway between
Fort Macon and
Roanoke Island, because of the more difficult navigation of Ocracoke, may be said to be the key to
Albemarle,
Pamlico, and
Core Sounds, and their tributaries.
Core Sound, on account of its shallowness and the inaccessibility of the main land bordering it, is of little consequence to the enemy, except in a rear attack upon
Beaufort with light steamers.
Batteries are erected, we understand, to cut off such an attempt.--But the possession of
Hatteras by the enemy, in the absence of the most complete defence upon
Neuse and
Pamlico rivers and at
Roanoke Island, might give him entire control of the
granary of the
South.
Craven,
Beaufort,
Hyde,
Tyrrell,
Washington,
Currituck;
Camden,
Pasquotank, Perquimans,
Chowan,
Gates,
Hertford,
Bertie,
Martin, and even
Northampton and
Halifax counties, without these defences, are all laid open to his ravages.
These counties have heretofore furnished
Norfolk,
Wilmington,
Charleston, and
Savannah a larger amount of corn than they obtained from all other sources, besides the large shipments they made to
Baltimore,
New York, and
Providence.
The product of surplus corn from these counties is immense.
Add to this the entire loss of the whole
fishing interest of these waters, amounting to several millions, besides affording one- half of the support of a large number of indigent persons, who can scarcely obtain it from any other source.
All these sources of wealth and comfort to our Eastern people might be cut off by the possession of these waters by the enemy, not to calculate the destruction of property and the personal injury our people must sustain from the thieving and destructive habits of our foe.
The two strategic points.
But within these waters are two strategic points of immense value to us, and ought to be protected at all hazards.
Newbern, one of these points, at the junction of the
Neuse and
Trent rivers, is about ninety miles by water from
Hatteras, with no natural obstructions to navigation after passing the swash at
Hatteras.
The possession of
Newbern simply as a depot, or for its destruction, would not be worth the hazard of taking it; but that point once gained places the enemy in the rear of
Fort Macon and Beaufort harbor, and gives him control of the
Atlantic Railroad.
We are far from thinking, however, that much would be gained except its destruction, and possibly the capture of
Fort Macon, even if he could take
Newbern; and we have some hope, that after the long warning which the authorities have had, and the money and labor expended there, that the enemy would fail.
But grant him the possession of that place, even with the immense force of
Gen. Burnside, we apprehend his headway would be readily checked.
He could scarcely get out of sight of that place westward were our forces, which could be well, spared, brought against him. An attack upon
Washington, which lies on
Pamlico or
Tar river, about eighty miles from
Hatteras, if successful, could secure no advantage to the enemy, except the destruction of the place.
These points, however, will be defended to the bitter end, and we trust the authorities have made all the necessary arrangements to visit upon the enemy utter annihilation.
Roanoke Island is, beyond doubt, the most important strategic point in these waters — Whether the enemy designed an attack upon it to make a rear movement upon
Norfolk, or to harass and despoil the country, his success in either respect would be severely damaging.
This island lies about forty miles North of
Hatteras, at the foot of
Albemarle Sound, with
Croatan Sound on the
West, lying between the island and the Tyrrell shore.
It is easy of access by water, with no natural obstructions to any sized vessel that can be gotten over the Swash, (a shoal with about eight feet water,) at
Hatteras.
On the
East, the island is cut off from the
Nag's Head banks by a shallow sound not navigable, except by light boats.
The island is about eight miles long, and from two to three miles wide.
Croatan Sound is about four miles wide at this point, with two good-channels, the best, however, lying within a mile and a half from the island.
The Western channel is about three miles from the island.
It is capable of being made a very strong position, and under the control of a good engineer, furnished with ample means, such as its importance demands, might be made impregnable against any force which could be brought against it. The possession of the island by the enemy would give him easy access to all of the above last named twelve counties by the navigable streams which penetrate them, and would place at his disposal
Elizabeth City,
Edenton,
Hertford,
Plymouth,
Williamston,
Windsor, and
Murfreesboro'--all small, but, to our people, important towns.
The idea, however, which seems to prevail at the
North, and perhaps in some minds South, that
Norfolk would be endangered by the
Burnside fleet passing through the
Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal, or the
Dismal Swamp Canal, is simply preposterous.
The narrow but deep streams through which the fleet must pass to enter the canals could so easily be closed up by the felling of timber as to cut off all possibility of a passage; and even if he were to be quick enough to reach the canals, his passage could be easily obstructed by the same means, or by breaking the locks and turning the water out. It would be equally hazardous for him to land troops in
Currituck, or
Camden, or at
Elizabeth City, to attempt a march towards
Norfolk, as his advance could be easily obstructed.
There are several points, however, at which there might be a successful movement, aiming at the rear of
Norfolk; but we suppress a notice of them, lest the information may suggest to the enemy schemes which might prove injurious to us. These points are doubtless known to the authorities, and, we trust, are well guarded.
We have grouped together, thus much, however, in order to impress upon the
President of the
Confederacy, the
Governor, of the
State, and to all whom our defence is confided, the immense importance of strongly for fying
Roanoke Island.
N. C. Standard. 
