January 12, 1861, The New York Herald
In regard to the forts on the Florida reefs we quote the following from the last report of the Secretary of War. It will be remembered by our readers that the steamer Joseph Whitney sailed from Boston a few days ago with troops to take charge of these forts, but it is thought the Florida State troops would precede them in the occupancy in these important works. The following description of the condition of the works will afford some idea of their practicability for present defence:-
FORT CLINCH, AMELIA ISLAND, FLORIDA.
During the past year, the east, south and southwest bastions have been built to the sprinting of the gun room arches; the curtain walls connecting them have been carried to the reference of the loop holes; all the galleries have been finished with the exception of asphalting their roof surfaces and placing the door and window frames; the gateway foundations of piers of sink gallery have been also laid; two lumber sheds and service magazine of north bastion have been completed. Barbette platforms for the north and northwest bastions have been procured, and a large amount of materials, accumulated for the working season. With the funds now on hand, it is proposed to complete the masonry of the enceinte and as far as practicable, the embankment of the rampart; to put the ramparts of the two channel fronts in condition to receive their armament; top pave all the bastions in order to provide the flank defence, and to put down the barbette platforms of the bastions bearing on the channels.
Assuming that the funds on hand are sufficient for the purposes described, to complete the work there remain the embankment of the unfinished portions of land front, ramparts, breast height walls, barbette platforms, excavation of ditch, embankment of counterscarp and covered way, breast height, glacis, quarters, workshops and storehouse.
As appropriation of $100,000 is estimated by the officer in charge to be sufficient for the operations stated. This amount will suffice to make the work susceptible of occupation and defence, if not to complete it in detail, but it is necessary to reduce the sum in the estimate presented.
FORT TAYLOR, KEY WEST, FLORIDA.
The year’s operations have been chiefly directed towards the completion of the barbette tier and the third story of the soldiers’ quarters. The earth filling of the entire parapet has been gathered and put in place, and the concrete covering laid from breast height to scarp, formed around the circuit of the castle. The main arch roofs of the whole work have been asphalted and the drainage brick courses, the lead flashings, the gutter arches and the manholes have all been completed within the season. The early filling of the terreplein has been gathered and placed, and the concrete foundations (2′ thick) for all the columbiad platforms (forty six) have bee formed. The walls and chimneys of the soldiers’ quarters have been completed, all above the second floor forming part of the season’s work. The masonry of the postern has been finished, and the main magazine and half floor have been concreted. A section of the quarters has been put under roof, and some of the third story rooms plastered and partly finished. The roads for hauling materials have been extended, and repaired, and a quantity of stone gathered and broken for concrete, to be used in the coverface.
The appropriation of $70.000 for 1860-61, will be divided between finishing the castle and building the inclosing walls, and filling the inclosure of the coverface. This will provide for mounting the entire armament of the castle, and for inclosing the soldiers’ quarters besides plastering, and some other parts of the inside finish. It will also make an effective beginning to the coverface.
The operations for the year 1861-62 should be directed to completing the castle to building the balance of the inclosing or sea wall of the coverface, to filling this inclosure with earth, to starting the piers and arches of the coverface, gun and store casemates, and to building the permanent wharf and bridge. For these objects the sum of $150,000 is asked by the officer in charge, but his amount is necessarily reduced in the estimates presented.
FORT JEFFERSON, GARDEN KEY, TORTUGAS, FLORIDA.
During the year, 110 of the upper casemate arches have been formed, and the remaining thirty six will soon be completed; the scarp wall has been raised from thirty to thirty two and one half feet above low water, and several small magazines have been fitted up.
The work may now be regarded as capable of making some defence, but no time should be lost in completing it.
The appropriation of the present year ($75,000) and the one asked for the next, if made, will be applied to the continuation of the upper part of the work, and to the erection of barracks and officers’ quarters, preparatory to the occupation of the forts by troops.