APPENDICES TO VOL. II. APPENDIX TO CHAPTER XXVI. RICHMOND, Sept. 10th, 1862. To Genl. BEAUREGARD: Special Orders, No. 22, dated August 29th, assign you to the command of the Department of South Carolina and Georgia-headquarters, Charleston. It was, through inadvertence, mailed to your address at Bladon Springs. S. COOPER, A. and I. Genl. MOBILE, Sept. 11th, 1862. Genl. S. COOPER, Richmond, Va. : I leave to-day for Charleston. Please forward there copies of orders and instructions. None received yet from Bladon. G. T. BEAUREGARD. 61 BROADWAY, N. Y., July 22d, 1882. Dear General,-I am unable at this time to answer your note of 18th instant more specially than to state that when I was Chief of the Staff of your forces, charged with the defence of the Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, from the autumn of 1862 to the spring of 1864, I discovered in the archives of my office a document left behind by Major-General Pemberton, whom you immediately succeeded in command in that quarter, in October, 1862, which embraced a recommendation from that officer of the abandonment, as untenable, of the whole outer or immediate coast-line of defences. Upon this point my recollection is distinct. The exact details of the system of defence which General Pemberton recommended to be substituted for the one abandoned I cannot venture to give from memory. It remains to be said that the document referred to bore an adverse endorsement from the hand of Mr. Davis, so far at least as any immediate execution of the proposed plan was concerned; and, as well as I recollect, a further endorsement of like character on the part of General Lee. The dates of these papers I do not recollect. THOMAS JORDAN. Yours, very truly, ADJUTANT AND INSPECTOR-GENERAL'S OFFICE, Special Orders, No. 128: *** XVI. Major-General J. C. Pemberton, on being relieved in command of the Department of South Carolina and Georgia by General Beauregard, will repair to this city and report for further orders. *** By command of Secretary of War. JOHN WITHERS, Assist. Adjt.-Genl. Special Orders, No. 178: HEADQUARTERS, DEPARTMENT S. C. AND GA., I. Major-General J. C. Pemberton is relieved from duty in this Department, and will proceed to obey paragraph xvi., Special Orders, No. 128, Adjutant and Inspector-General's Office, Richmond, Va., September 17th, 1862. * * By command of Genl. Beauregard. Genl. PEMBERTON: # THOMAS JORDAN, Chief of Staff. CHARLESTON, S. C., Sept. 23d, 1862. In view of your exact knowledge of the requirements of the Department, I have to request that you will furnish me, before leaving, with an estimate of the minimum forces, of all arms, which you may regard as essential for a successful defence of first, Charleston and its dependencies; second, the District of South Carolina; third, Savannah and its dependencies; fourth, the District of Georgia. You will also oblige me by having prepared a statement showing the present location of all the troops of different arms in the whole Department. Respectfully, General, your obdt. servt., G. T. BEAUREGARD. General Beauregard's Inspection of the Defences of Charleston and Savannah. CHARLESTON, S. C., Sept. 24th, 1862. September 16th.-I inspected, with General Commanding Pemberton and Brig. adier-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-f e-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 guus (above 32-pounders), and Fort Moultrie nine heavy guns, bearing at once on these ob structions. 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 débris. 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 crémaillères, 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. 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 Major-General Pemberton that all the above works are sufficiently garrisoned. My conclusion is, that when the above works contemplated for the defence of this harbor, especially the obstructions and gunboats, are completed, and those works are properly armed with the heaviest guns, the enemy's vessels and gunboats will find it very difficult, if not next to impossible, to penetrate far enough to injure or take Charleston. Until then the city will not be properly protected. September 19th.-I inspected this day, with the same officers, the works at Secessionville, which are irregular and but poorly constructed. A force of about 200 men is still at work upon them, increasing and strengthening them. The position is naturally a strong one, being surrounded with low marshes and a wide creek, except on one side, where there is a very narrow strip of level ground, along which the Abolitionists made their attack, which amounted to a surprise, and yet they were defeated by one-fifth their number. I do not, however, sce the necessity or advantage of holding in force this advanced position. A strong picket would be sufficient. The armament of this work consists of two 8-inch naval guns, one 18-pounder, howitzer, six 32-pounders, one 32-pounder rifle, two 24-pounder rifles, and two 10-inch mortars. September 20th.—I left this day at 9.30 A. M. for Savannah, on a tour of inspection, with General Pemberton and Colonel Gonzales. Stopped at Rantowle's Station to inspect works there. An open battery, with four guns (two 24-pounders and two 12-pounders), a strong and good position, commanding roads from Savannah and Church Flats, on Stono, three miles off, where there is also a battery of three guns (two 32-pounders and one rifled 12-pounder) to command an obstruction and prevent a landing from John's Island and the passage by water up Church Flats, in which case troops at Adams's Run, nine or ten miles off-a central and healthy point-would have to support that battery or fall back on the one at Rantowle's. The right flank of the latter should be extended, or a detached redan constructed towards the prairie or marshes in the direction of Wallace's, where there is also a battery of two guns (one 32-pounder and one rifled 6-pounder), occupying a strong, isolated position, to flank battery at the station, and two bridges across Rantowle's Creek—a branch of the Stono-below Church Flats. This river must be examined from the latter point to the Wappoo Cut, to determine if there are any landing-places by which the works at the overflow could be turned. There are two enclosed field works — miles from Charleston, commanding the road from Savannah to the long or new bridge across the Ashley. They appear to be well located, provided they cannot be turned on the right or left towards the Wappoo, which must be inquired into, if they are manned. September 21st.-I inspected this day the defences of Savannah, with the same officers, and General Mercer commanding. They are not yet completed, but are progressing rapidly. Those on the river, I am informed, are finished, Fort Boggs excepted, which has, however, its armament-sixteen guns-in position. The line of lunettes and redans around the city are about half finished, I should judge. These works are rather too close to each other, and unnecessarily strong in profile. There are about 1400 men (negroes) at work upon them. The obstructions-piling and cribwork filled in with stones and bricks-about one mile below Fort Jackson and its batteries, are nearly completed, requiring about ten or fifteen days longer to finish them. They will then obstruct very thoroughly, I think, the navigation of the river. They will, however, require to be watched and repaired constantly, owing to the effect of the current on the bottom between the cribs. The outer line of defences, consisting of detached works or batteries, at Thunderbolt and other points, armed with heavy guns, were not visited for want of time, but I am informed by General Pemberton that they are completed, well armed, and, with a proper garrison, could not be taken by the enemy, if well defended. By their advantageous position they cannot be turned. He places great reliance on them. An additional work at Coffee Bluff, on the Ogeechee, to be constructed, in the opinion of the Chief-Engineer of the Georgia District, Captain McCready. This must be looked into. Upon the whole, I consider Savannah thoroughly defended from a naval attack, and when its line of land defences will be completed, with a proper garrison of about 15,000 men, may be considered impregnable until the enemy shall bring against it an overwhelming force, which it is not probable they will ever attempt, as the result, if favorable, will not compensate them for the expense and trouble. September 24th.-I inspected this day, with Colonel Gonzales, the line of works on the Neck to defend the city of Charleston from land attack from the north. It is a continuous bastion line of strong profile and elaborately constructed, but badly located, I believe, not being well adapted to the ground. It is commanded to a certain extent by woods in front, and can be enfiladed and taken in reverse by gunboats on the Cooper and Ashley rivers, particularly from the last. No traverses have been constructed. They are absolutely required. Even then this line could hardly be held successfully against a fleet of gunboats in each of said rivers. The two batteries at the Half-moon Battery are not finished; they are intended for five and three guns each, to command the Cooper River and Town Creek. The distance to the former is too great. A much better position could be found, I think, on the opposite side of the river, at Hobcaw Bluffs, but obstructions would also be required. The profile of the parapet of those batteries is too great, especially of the first one. Adaptation of "means to an end" has not always been consulted in the works around this city and Savannah. Much unnecessary work has been bestowed upon many of them. G. T. BEAUREGARD, Genl. Comdg. HEADQUARTERS, DEPARTMENT S. C. AND GA., Capt. W. H. ECHOLS, Chief-Engineer: I am instructed to furnish you with the following extract from a communication, dated 30th ult., from Dr. J. R. Cheves, in charge of outer obstructions: |