Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of Rebellion, Series I, Volume 10 by United States Department of the Navy

Author:United States Department of the Navy
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Official Records, Civil War
Publisher: United States Department of the Navy
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

See p. 510

Page 518

518 NORTH ATLANTIC BLOCKADING SQUADRON.

1 beg leave to answer your interrogatories as follows: Question No.1. Depth of water into and defenses at Lockwoods Folly Inlet. Answer. The depth of water on the bar I find to be about 6 feet at mean high water, with sea very smooth. With the usual swell arising from southerly winds, I would not attempt to carry in more than 3 feet draft. The shoal is bold, and I should judge it often shifts. The water is very bold up to the bar, shoaling suddenly. I have five times laid my vessel within 400 yards of Big Hill and drifted along the shore for an hour each time, carefully observing every point. I can not see any attempt to construct earthworks of aity kind upon either side of the inlet. The natural formation of the laud around Big Hill is, however, admirably adapted for hurried defenses both by artillery and infantry, and could in a few hours be made of much impor- tance to prevent a landing or to effectually prevent the immediate use of Folly Inlet to land stores, ammunition, etc. Question No. 2. The exact position and character of the batteries on Oak Island and Smiths Island, and whether or not the guns in Fort Caswell are casemated; what further additional works have been erected at Fort Caswell by the rebels. Answer. I enclose herewith a chart with the exact position of the batteries upon Oak and Smiths islands (of which I am cognizant). They were determined by a series of bearings and almost a round of angles by sextant, all upon known points. I also enclose sketches from said positions (as numbered upon the chart) of Western Bar entrance, showing the relative position and appearance of the different rebel works also a sketch of the shore from Piney Point to the westward as far as the wreck of the blockade runner Ranger. This shows every sand hill and indeed every mound of any importance between these points. I have indicated on the chart the best points to laud troops. Fort Caswell has 21 heavy casemates, of which 11 show to the south- ward and westward; outside the main works there are water batteries to the eastward, southward and eastward, and southward and west- ward, all, I believe, heavy guns. West of Fort Caswell, distant 1,000 yards and near the water, is a small square earthwork to cover the bar channel approach. I do not know its strength. The enemy are mounting guns on it. Near this battery, but to the westward, are the range lights for passing Western Bar. To the westward of this battery 700 yards, and 1,700 yards from Fort Caswell, there is a heavy earth battery or series of batteries showing 12 casemates. Six of these mounds face to the southward and are enclosed; the balance extend back 300 yards to the northward and westward, reaching the swamp land to the north. ward of Oak Island.

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