Today in History:

436 Series I Volume XV- Serial 21 - Baton Rouge-Natchez

Page 436 W. FLA., S. ALA., S. MISS., LA., TEX., N. MEX. Chapter XXVII.

A similar drawing will be sent to Lieutenant G. Weitzel, chief engineer, Department of the Gulf, and it is hoped the copy in your hands will prove useful for reference when further instructions are sent you. The guns are arranged to resist an attack coming up the river. To secure the fort against an attack in the opposite direction their positions will have to be changed.

When their new arrangement has been approved by Lieutenant Weitzel a drawing of it probably be sent to you. This work of mounting, dismounting, and moving guns belongs to the Ordnance Department of the Army, and should be superintended by one of its officers in person. If, however, the exigencies of the service should throw this duty on your regiment, you will find detailed instructions for the maneuvers in the heavy artillery, and the necessary gins, sling-carts, and pulleys are in the fort. If new gun circles have to be set, they should be superintended by an engineer officer or else detailed instructions about them sent to you. Not much need be added to the directions already given you by General Butler. All posterns and sally-ports should have their gates hung and be furnished with bolts or braces in perfect order for instant use, and when there are bridges in front draws lifting with ordinary ease should be provided. Next to this, all retaining earth should be built up with the original material, carefully bonded into the remaining work, and after the masonry has properly set clean earth should be rammed hard and compact behind it and the surface planted with grass seed and watered till a strong growth is abstained. While the carpenters and masons are engaged on this work the labores should collect and burn the rubbish inside the fort. Much of this might be burned without the delay of moving it outside of the fort. All the lumber should be piled outside the fort, so as to be protected from the sun and not compromise the safety of the fort.

Everything combustible should moved outside of the fort, and nothing else of that nature, buildings, quarters, or anything else, allowed inside. Probably no method better than the present can be found to lower the water in the fort till the steam-pump arrives. In the mean time care should be taken that no filth or refuse is thrown into the water, and lime should occasional be thrown into the puddles. The casemates should be kept as empty as possible. Spoiled provisions might be moved out of the fort, even when they would be exposed to the weather. The magazine which is open is in good condition. The other should be opened, and all the ammunition possible should be withdrawn from the casemates and put into these. Where the arches have been broken by shells elaborate repairs will be needed, for which detailed instructions will be necessary.

The scarp and piers are still in good condition,and the injury to the arches seems to be mostly confined to the vicinity of the point of impact. In many cases the extrados or outside of the brick arch has probably been injured when there is no corresponding mark on the intrados or inside.

To enable the repairs to be through, therefore, the striking point of every shell on the surfaces, indicated by a depression, hole, the absence of grass, or the presence of sand bands, should be carefully marked by a firmly-driven stake, or some other sufficient and permanent sign.

Finally, at such times as the other work allows the walls of the citadel should be thrown down and the good bricks cleaned, piled, and kept for repairs, and the rest used for making a good road to the landing and


Page 436 W. FLA., S. ALA., S. MISS., LA., TEX., N. MEX. Chapter XXVII.