Taken from the Charleston Mercury newspaper, Dec 13th, 1860;
FORT MOULTRIE
is an enclosed water battery, having a front on the south, or water side, of about 300 feet, and a depth of about 240 feet. It is built with salient and re-entering angles on all sides, and is admirably adapted for defence, either from the attack of a storming party, or by regular approaches.
The outer and inner walls are of brick, capped with stone, and filled in with earth, making a solid wall 15 or 16 feet in thickness. The work now in progress consists in cleaning the sand from the walls of the fort; ditching it around the entire circumference, and erecting a glacis; closing up the postern gates in the east and west walls, and instead, cutting sally-ports, which lead into strong out-works on the southeast and southwest angles, in which 12-pounder howitzer guns will be placed, enabling the garrison to sweep the ditch on three sides with grape and canister. The northwest angle of the fort has also been strengthened by a bastionette, to sustain the weight of a heavy gun which will command the main street of the Island. The main entrance has also been better secured, and a trap-door two feet square, cut in the door for ingress and egress. - At this time, the height of the wall, from the bottom of the ditch to the top of the parapet, is 20 feet. The ditch is from 12 to 15 feet wide at the base, and 15 feet deep. The nature of the soil would not seem to admit of this depth being increased, quick-sand having been reached in many places. The work on the south side is nearly finished. The counterscarp is substantially built of plank, and spread with turf. The glacis is also finished. It is composed of sand, and covered with layers of loam and turf, all of which is kept firmly in place by the addition of sections of plank nailed to uprights sunk in the sand, and crossing each other at right angles - making squares of about 10 feet each. The purpose of the glacis, which is an inclined plane, is to expose an attacking party to the fire of the guns - which are so placed as to sweep it from the crest of the counterscarp to the edge of the beach. On the north side, all the wooden gun cases have been placed close together on the ramparts, apparently for the purpose of securing it against an escalade, but possibly as a screen for a battery of heavy guns. A good many men are engaged in clearing the ramparts of turf and earth, for the purpose of putting down a very ugly-looking arrangement, which consists of strips of plank 4 inches wide, 1 1/2 inches thick, and 6 or 8 feet long, sharpened at the point, and nailed down, so as to project about 3 feet horizontally from the top of the walls.
A noticeable fact in the bastionettes to which we have above alluded, is the haste in which one of them has been built. The one completed is formed of solid masonry. In constructing the other, however, a framework of plank has been substituted. Against the inside of this wooden outwork loose bricks have been placed. Both bastionettes are armed with a small cannonade, and a howitzer pointed laterally so as to command the whole intervening moat by a cross-fire.
In the hurried execution of these extensive improvements, a large force - about 170 men - are constantly engaged. Additions are daily made to this number, and the work of putting the post in the best possible condition for defence, is carried on with almost incredible vigor.
THE GARRISON.
A few days ago Col. GARDNER, who, for years, had held the post of Commandant, and whose courtesy and bearing had won the friendship of all who knew him, was relieved in the command by Major ROBERT ANDERSON, of Kentucky. Maj. ANDERSON received his first commission as Brevet 2d Lieut. 2d Artillery, July 1, 1825, was acting Inspector-General in the Black Hawk war, and received the rank of Brevet Captain August, 1838, for his successful conduct in the Florida war. On September 8, 1847, he was made Brevet Major for his gallant and meritorious conduct in the battle of Molino del Rey.
The other officers are: Capt. ABNER DOUBLEDAY, Capt. T. SEYMOUR, Lieut. T. TALBOT, Lieut. J.C. DAVIS, Lieut. N.J. HALL - all of the First Regiment Artillery.
Capt. J.G. FOSTER and Lieut. G.W. SNYDER, of the Engineer corps.
Assistant Surgeon S.W. CRAWFORD, of the Medical Staff.
The force, under these gentlemen, consist of two companies of Artillery. The companies, however, are not full, the two comprising, as we are informed, only about seventy men, including the band. A short time ago, two additional companies were expected, but they have not come; and it is now positively stated that there will be for the present at least, no reinforcement of the garrison.
VIGILANCE IN THE FORT.
While the working men are doing wonders on the outside, the soldiers within are by no means idle. Field pieces have been placed in position upon the green within the fort, and none of the expedients of military engineering have been neglected to make the position as strong as possible. It is said that the greatest vigilance is observed in every regulation at this time, and that the guns are regularly shotted every night. It is very certain that ingress is no longer an easy matter for an outsider, and the visitor who hopes to get in, must make up his mind to approach with all the caution, ceremony and circumlocution with which the Allies are advancing upon the Capital of the Celestial Empire.
Extracts from annual report (October 1, 1861) of Captain John G. Foster, U. S. Corps of Engineer.
O.R.’s Series 1, Vol. 1, part 1, page 4
“Fort Moultrie, Charleston Harbor, South Carolina.-The work of preparing this fort for a vigorous defense commenced in August, 1860, and was diligently prosecuted up the day of its evacuation, December 26, 1860. In this time the large accumulation of sand, which overtopped the scarp wall on the sea front, was removed to the front and formed into a glaciis; a wet ditch, fifteen feet wide, dug around the fort; two flanking caponieres of brick built, to flank with their fire the three water fronts; a bastioned for musketry constructed at the northwest angle; a picket fence built around the fort, bordering the ditch, and protected by a small glacis; merlons constructed on the whole of the east front; communication opened through the quarters, a bridge built, connecting them with the guard-house, and the latter looppholed for musketry, so as to serve for a citadel.
Means were also furnished to transport Major Anderson's command, and such public property as could be removed before the occupation of Fort Moultrie by the rebels, to Fort Sumter. Before evacuating the fort, “
Respectfully submitted.
J. G. FOSTER,
Captain, Engineers.