proaches to Vicksburg were furnished in answer to the requisition of the military and naval commanders. After the 20th of January, 1863, the topography of the approaches was steadily pushed forward, and even included a point within six hundred yards of the enemy's batteries, and three miles beyond the pickets of our forces. Early in January, 1863, the Superintendent of the Coast Survey received from Admiral Porter a communication containing the following expressions: "Mr. Strausz and Mr. Fendall have rendered themselves extremely useful to me in compiling maps for the use of the Army and Navy, and making surveys of the field of operations before Vicksburg. I sent Mr. Strausz down in a vessel, near the front of the city, to make plans and take sketches of the batteries, which he did to my satisfaction, giving us information that we have not possessed before, and showing the impracticability of attacking Vicksburg by water alone. We might otherwise have run our heads against a stone wall. During the ascent of the Yazoo River, and while engaged in taking up torpedoes, our passage was contested at every step by two or three thousand riflemen, in pits and behind levées: so protected that our guns could not hurt them. The vessels were much cut up, the rifle-balls going through and through the light upper works. Mr. Strausz accompanied the expedition, and while under the fire, produced a good chart of the river and back country, with which we have made our advances. I could not have got along very well without these maps." The important capture of Arkansas Post, otherwise known as Fort Hindman, took place on January 11th, 1863, in the interval between the two sieges of Vicksburg. Previously, both of the officers mentioned by Admiral Porter had been engaged on a map of Arkansas River, for the express purpose of facilitating the attack on Arkansas Post. After the capture of the position, they executed a detailed survey of the fort and vicinity. After the raising of the siege of Vicksburg, and the relinquishment of the attempt to turn the fortifications on Haines's Bluff, by passing gunboats through Steele's Bayou and Deer Creek, during which attempt, the officers of the Coast Survey executed a map of the route pursued by the expedition, the plan of running the batteries at Vicksburg was adopted by MajorGeneral (now Lieutenant-General) Grant, and successfully executed, as the whole world knows." This exploit was accomplished on the night of April 16th, 1863. Then came the memorable series of victories, when General Grant, delivering battle after battle, drove one army of the enemy across Black River, and the other into the lines of Vicksburg, which, with communications severed and works invested, was at last forced to surrender its garrison as prisoners of war. Let us now glance at operations which, progressing during the same interval of time, were so distant in space, that to examine them, we shall be obliged to mentally skip nearly half way across the continent. On the 30th of January, 1863, the Coast Survey steamer Bibb anchored off Charleston Bar. On two successive nights the boats of the steamer were lowered, and parties proceeded with secrecy and dispatch to make a careful examination of the channels. It will be recollected that early in the war, a number of hulks, commonly known as the Stone Fleet, were sunk across the main ship-channel. Renewed soundings were therefore necessary before an attack, for the purpose of ascertaining what modifications had occurred in the depth as given on the Coast Survey chart of Charleston Harbor. The information acquired by the examination was used in the passage of the iron-clads to the attack on Fort Sumter, on the 7th of April, 1863. On the 5th of April soundings were again taken. The result confirmed the previous selection of "Pumpkin Hill Channel" as best for the passage of the Bar. In Admiral Du Pont's official order, giving dispositions for the attack, he says: "The Bar will be buoyed by the Keokuk, Commander Rhind, assisted by C. O. Boutelle, Assistant United States Coast Survey, commanding the Bibb; by ActingEnsign Platt, and the pilots of the squadron." Admiral Du Pont wrote to the commander of the Bibb, in relation to the first examination of the Bar: "Your examination of the channels and water on the Charleston Bar seems to have been conducted with great skill and boldness, and I beg you to receive my thanks and commendation for the same, and for the important information obtained." In the Report of the Superintendent of the Coast Survey, 1863, he says: "Mr. Robert Platt, the executive officer of the Bibb, was permitted to pilot the Weehawken, and was temporarily disabled by the breaking of a * * * * bolt under the concussion of a heavy shot from one of the rebel batteries." The attack on the 7th of April failed. Success would have been astonishing. No mere naval attack could have reduced pitted against the converging fire of hundreds ashore. Survey At the commencement of 1863, several officers of the Coast were ordered to report to Major-General Foster, commanding the Department of North Carolina. They assisted in the operations with which the public is familiarized in connection with the names Newbern and Little Washington. On June the 1st, General Foster wrote to the Superintendent of the Coast Survey: "Mr. Fairfield has just given me a copy of his triangulation on the Neuse River, which puts me in mind to thank you for the assistance which you have rendered in sending him, Mr. West, and Mr. Rockwell, here. Their labors have aided very much in obtaining a correct knowledge of the country for military purposes." Towards the last of May, rumors of an intended invasion of. the North prevailed. Many days had not elapsed, when anticipation was realized, for the movement began. General Lee suddenly quitted his winter-quarters, and marched, no one, at first, knew whither. The Army of the Potomac marched to interpose between the enemy and any threatened quarter, but the movement of the enemy was well masked, and, for a while, there was fearful suspense in the North. This was augmented, when, on the 28th of June, the Army of the Potomac, then on a forced march to intercept the enemy, was subjected to a change of commanders. On that day, MajorGeneral Meade assumed chief command. On the 1st of July, at Gettysburg, the enemy's advance was encountered by MajorGeneral Reynolds, and on the next day, General Lee found himself in the presence of the Army of the Potomac. On the 16th of June, the Superintendent of the Coast Survey, in anticipation of danger to Philadelphia from the movement then in progress, offered his services to the Mayor of Philadelphia. As soon as Major-General Dana assumed command in the city, he telegraphed to the Superintendent: "We have no engineer, and your aid would be invaluable, if you are still able to renew your kind offer, and could come at once, with such of your corps as you can bring." On the 27th of June, the Superintendent arrived. From every direction officers of the Coast Survey trooped to the city. Officers of various City Departments, graduates of scientific institutions, employés of companies, and many others, eagerly proffered their services, and were at once distributed through the district surrounding the city. The general result of the operations which ensued under the direction of the Superintendent of the Coast Survey, as Chief Engineer, is comprised in a reconnoissance covering an area of eighty square miles, the construction of a number of small fieldworks, and the selection of sites for others, to be constructed in case of emergency.* It was never contemplated that these defences should resist a combined attack from General Lee's army, as supposed by two or three anonymous writers, who asserted that the sites were badly selected, and the works wrongly constructed. The works were constructed in apprehension of a coup de main executed by cavalry. They, for the most part, stood in lieu of têtes de pont, and commanded not only the bridges, but the points from which an enemy could have shelled the city. As for the faultiness of sites and works, probability is strongly adverse to the supposition, for the Chief Engineer is a graduate *In the Coast Survey Report for 1863, are included full details in relation to the reconnoissance and construction of defences at Philadelphia, with due mention of the services of all engaged. The Report is on the eve of publication, some of the advance sheets having been sent to me by J. E. Hilgard, Esq., Assistant in charge of the Coast Survey Office, to whom I am indebted for much data available in the preparation of these papers at the request of the Editor of the UNITED STATES SERVICE MAGAZINE. of West Point, and his labors were subjected to daily inspection by General Dana. On the 19th of September, 1863, the battle of Chickamauga commenced. The issue was not then decisive; but on the next day, the rout of the right wing of the Union forces would have been fatal to the whole army, had not the tenacity of the left wing, commanded by Major-General Thomas, deterred the enemy from pursuit of the disorganized masses of troops that retreated in disorder towards Chattanooga. Under cover of night, General Thomas fell back to Rossville, and, on the evening of the 21st, withdrew his troops into the defences of Chattanooga. The enemy immediately occupied Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge, and stretched his line across Chattanooga Valley. General Rosecrans's communication by the left bank of the Tennessee with Bridgeport being thus cut, and his other lines of supply jeopardized by a cavalry raid, his army was completely isolated, and, for a time, in a precarious situation. Matters had arrived at a desperate pass, when General Grant, arriving at Louisville, telegraphed to General Thomas, who superseded General Rosecrans, to hold out to the last extremity. The preliminary operation undertaken was the opening of the railroad communication on the left bank of the Tennessee to Bridgeport. This was secured by a concerted movement, consisting of a strong lodgment effected on the left bank of the Tennessee, at Brown's Ferry, and by marching from Bridgeport the re-enforcements from the Army of the Potomac, composed of the Eleventh and Twelfth Corps, under command of Major-General Hooker. Brigadier-General (now Major-General) W. F. Smith, Chief Engineer of the Army of the Cumberland, originated and executed the former movement. On his staff was an officer of the Coast Survey, who rendered important service in the reconnoissance. In another reconnoissance, he examined the ground between the North Chickamauga and Brown's Ferry, with the view of ascertaining routes that would mask movements of troops, and preparations for laying pontoons. Previously to the enemy's occupation of Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge, two officers of the Coast Survey had almost completed a map of the ground. From the survey of Lookout Mountain knowledge was acquired of the practicability of the attack that carried it. As the result of the battles which took place on the 24th and 25th of November, the rebel army was partially routed, and forced to retreat to Ringgold, and eventually to Dalton.* The combat of the 23d, although it resulted in securing the position, Indian Hill (Orchard Knoll), was really a reconnoissance in force. In December, an officer of the Coast Survey was sent to Chattanooga, by request of Brigadier-General W. L. Elliott, Chief of Cavalry of the Army of the Cumberland. He made a survey comprising fifty square miles of the country south of Chattanooga, inclusive of the battle-field of Chickamauga. He also drew a map, showing the line of defences around Chattanooga, and indicated range-marks for the purposes of the Chief of Artillery. At the request of Major-General Foster, two officers of the Coast Survey joined his command in East Tennessee. Under the direction of Captain O. M. Poe, Corps of Engineers, and Chief Engineer of the Department of the Ohio, they made a survey of all the approaches to Knoxville. When the Head-Quarters of the Military Division of the Army of the Mississippi were removed to Nashville, two officers of the Coast Survey executed a map of the vicinity. One of them also examined the numerous branches which empty into Cumberland River, from the south, between Nashville and the South Fork. This was for the purpose of finding a shorter route for the supply of the army at Knoxville. The following extracts from a letter from General Thomas to the Superintendent of the Coast Survey refer to a portion of the service just mentioned, as having been rendered by officers of the Coast Survey: "Permit me to thank you most cordially for your kindness in placing under the direction of Brigadier-General W. F. Smith, Chief Engineer, Department of the Cumberland, Messrs. P. C. F. West, Clarence Fendall, F. W. Dorr, and J. W. Donn, officers of the Coast Survey Service. In the short time they have been on duty at these Head-Quarters, they have rendered most valuable service in reconnoitring, surveying, and mapping the country." "I shall desire to retain these officers, with General Smith, as long as you can spare their services." * * * * * Service with the Mississippi Squadron was not intermitted. A large party of the Coast Survey was, for the third consecutive season, placed at the disposal of Admiral Porter. During the third season, which lasted from the beginning to the middle of 1864, the party executed a reconnoissance map between Rodney and Palmyra, comprising about fifty miles of the course of the Mississippi, delineating its main channels and bars, with the cultivated ground and swamps on its banks, the towns, landing places, and roads leading towards the interior of the country. They made a topographic and hydrographic survey of Grand Gulf, Mississippi. The survey of Vicksburg was also completed. On the Ohio, between Cairo and Mound City, they made another topographic and hydrographic survey. One of the party accompanied the Red River Expedition. The light-draught steamer used to penetrate the shallow streams was often waylaid and riddled with rifle-balls. Another vessel, with surveyors on board, was once obliged to engage a battery |