WAR DEPARTMENT OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS LIBRARY mm qjg-ojj nnnn inr ijxr n CLASS BOOK 623.06 Un3er 1860 ///-*/•/"'• ~ t V 1 , #v .-• / '2--- I? REPORT ’ OP ' THE CHIEF ENGINEER. NOVEMBER 14, 1860. WAR DEPART?*15^-** OFFICE OF TOE CHIEF OF EflOlHESBS —- jUBR^RX \&$% REPORT. ENGINEER DEPARTMENT, Washington, November 14, 1860. SIR: I have the honor to present the following report upon the several branches of the public service committed to the charge of this department for the year ending on the 30th June, 1860. MILITARY DEFENSES. The grants by Congress for fortifications on our whole sea-coast and northern lake frontier for the past fiscal year, amounting to $675,000, have been mainly expended, and, through the zeal and efficiency of the officers in charge of works, have been so applied as to produce a marked and satisfactory progress. The sum is, however, entirely in¬ adequate to the wants of the service, and should be largely increased in future appropriations if we desire to place our important harbors and sea-port cities in security against the attacks of a maritime enemy within a reasonable number of years. Adequate appropriations, while securing a more speedy completion of our defenses, will effect an econ¬ omy in the aggregate outlay, since comparatively large sums can be more judiciously applied to the works than small ones. I therefore take the liberty of asking your attention to the accompanying estimate,' and earnestly invoking your aid in its behalf with Congress at its approaching, session. So much has been said in previous reports from this office in support of fortifications as a means of defense for our sea-coast frontiers that I do not now propose to do more than reiterate the convictions so often expressed, that, with our system of fortifications completed and garri¬ soned, our important harbors will be secured to us, and our sea-board cities protected from the attacks of a maritime enemy, and to invite attention to the fact that the great nations of Europe place the same confidence in similar means, as evinced in the care with which their important points are covered by fortifications—a confidence fully shared by Great Britain, the greatest naval power in the world, which has within the last few months adopted a system of fortifications for the defense of her dock-yards and arsenals, to be completed in from three to five years, involving an estimated outlay of £11,000,000 sterling, and for which her government asked of Parliament a grant of £2,000,000 sterling for the service of the present year. In my last annual report your attention was invited to the necessity of some provisions for defenses on our north Pacific coast, and subse¬ quently the subject was brought before Congress in special reports, in which an appropriation of $100,000 for the commencement of a work at the mouth of the Columbia river and a like sum for Puget’s Sound was recommended. This recommendation is now repeated, and | I shall take early occasion to bring the subject again to your notice, in the hope that Congress inay, through your recommendation, be in- 6 duced to make provision for the immediate commencement of works at these now unprotected points of our frontier. The subjoined special reports derived mainly from the reports of the officers in charge will explain the operations and progress upon the respective works during the past fiscal year,.and their condition at its cl6se. Most respectfully submitted, R. E. DERUSSY, Lieut. Col. Engineers, Corri'g. Hon. JOHN B. FLOYD, Secretary of War. Fort Wayne, Detroit, Michigan, in charge of Captain C. E. Blunt.— The decay of the timber revetments of this work still continues, though no expenditures have been made during the year. About 150 feet of the scarp gave way in May last, the repair of which will be provided for out of the appropriation for contingencies of fortifications. The renewals of the revetments which have been made during the past five years have, it is believed, placed a considerable j>ortion of it in good condition, though, if the fort is to be a permanent one, the whole should be faced with stone. The work is in a condition to mount its entire armament, but the officers’ quarters, destroyed by fire some years since, have not been rebuilt, and the barracks are still unfinished. Fort Porter, Black Rock, near Buffalo, New York, in charge of Cap¬ tain C. E. Blunt.—This work is generally in good condition, and pre¬ pared for its armament and garrison. The woodwork of the bridges, however, shows signs of decay, and will probably require renewal before long. Portions of the wooden covering of the breast-height slope of the covered way have been renewed, being found much decayed. The parapet of the tower has been covered with a temporary wooden roofing, and the flanking querites at the angles have been supported by wooden pillars from the ditch. Ho appropriation is asked for. Fort Niagara, mouth of Niagara river, New York, in charge of Cap¬ tain C. E. Blunt.—The repairs of cribs for shore protection, reported unfinished last year, have been mainly completed. One new crib has been built on the lake shore, towards the eastern limit of the jmblic land. This method of shore protection, as far as executed, has had a marked effect in preventing the wearing away of the beach. The river banks above the fort need some additional structures for this object. The work is efficient as respects its readiness for its armament, but the accommodations for garrison and supplies are entirely inadequate. The timber revetments, which are in pretty good condition, should be replaced by stone, if the work is to be a permanent one. Fort Ontario, Oswego, New York, in charge of Captain C. E. Blunt. Nothing has been done at this work. Its timber revetments and gun- platforms are in bad condition, and the decay has progressed during 7 tlie year, though not as rapidly as in some previous years. The ac¬ commodations for garrison and supplies are good, hut some expendi¬ ture would he necessary in preparations for the armament. Like Forts Wayne and Niagara, the revetments of this work should he of stone. Fort Montgomery, Rouse's Point, New York, in charge of Captain C. E. Blunt.—The very small appropriation granted by Congress has permitted only a correspondingly small progress towards the comple¬ tion of this work. It is the only stone fort on the northern frontier, is now about half finished, and, if economy were consulted, would be completed with as little delay as possible. Four years, it is estimated, would suffice for this purpose. One hundred and ninety-four cubic yards of stone masonry, 125 cu¬ bic yards of brick, 281 cubic yards of concrete, 1,028 cubic yards of earth embankment, and 518 square yards of asphalte roof covering, have been laid during the year in piers, magazines, scarp, and parapet walls, and in communication, embrasure, and casemate arches of the right flank of bastion B, and in bastion D. Two howitzer embrasures, with iron linings, have been completed on the right flank of bastion B, upper tier; a considerable quantity of embrasure, pier, and scarp stone has been hammered during the past winter, and will be laid during the summer of 1860. It is proposed to expend the next appropriation on the masonry of the last and south curtains and intermediate bastions. Fort on Hog Island Ledge, Portland harbor, Maine, (Fort Gorges,) in charge of Captain M. D. Kurtz till January 19, 1860, afterwards of Lieutenant J. C. Palfrey.—During the last year the foundations of all the piers and of the scarp were completed, the piers raised to a refer¬ ence, (13' 10",) scarp No. VI to a reference, (15' 10",) Nos. I, IV, and V to (13' 10",) and No. Ill to (17' 10".) The six cisterns were com¬ pleted, and the parade filled in to a reference, (15'.) The workshops were established in convenient positions inside the work, the wharf nearly completed, and granite and iron provided for beginning to con¬ struct- gun embrasures the present year. This year it is intended to construct the first tier of gun embrasures on faces Nos. Ill, IV, anil II, and to raise the scarp on these faces to reference (27' 5".) * The next year, $75,000 would complete the two tiers of gun embra¬ sures on faces Nos. I, II, III, IV, and V, raise the scarp to a refer¬ ence, (39',) the piers to a reference, (25' 6",) turn the communication and casemate arches of the first tier of casemates, form their roof sur¬ faces, and build the parade wall to a reference, (29'.) Fort Knox, Narrows of the Penobscot river, Maine, in charge of Captain J. D. Kurtz? till January 19, since then of Lieutenant J. C. Palfrey.—During the last year the piers and arches of all the case¬ mates but two, on the east fronts, were completed, and the roof surface covered with dry brick, the parade wall carried up to the same height, the main entrance arch turned and the floor over it formed, a portion 8 of the north scarp and the postern arch were built, and the main drain extended 292 feet. This season it is intended to construct the two remaining casemates on southeast front, the magazines on the north and south fronts, the east parade wall, the terreplein and gun-platform foundations on east fronts, and to continue construction of northeast and south scarp.