|
|
[323]
No. 20.
Reports of Brig. Gen. John G. Barnard, U. S. Army, Chief Engineer Army of the Potomac, of operations during the siege.
Thursday, April 17.—The reconnaissances show that the different batteries of the works of Yorktown contain about as follows, empty embrasures being counted as guns:
Guns visible on enemy’s lines.
|
Guns. |
Bluff battery No. 1 (nearest wharf) |
5 |
Bluff battery No.2 |
3 |
Bluff battery No. 3 |
3 |
Bluff battery No.4 |
4 |
Bluff battery No.5 |
4 |
Embrasure battery No. 6 |
4 |
In lower water battery Commander Missroon says he saw (I saw two and sand bag embrasures for four more) |
8 |
On main lines the big gun and its companion bear on the water |
2 |
Total |
33 |
Of these guns there can be directed at the proposed battery at Moore’s house:
Guns of No. 1 (certain) |
5 |
Guns of No. 3(certain) |
3 |
Guns of water battery No. 2 (certain) |
2 |
Guns of No. 2 (probable) |
4 |
Guns of No. 4 (probable) |
3 |
Guns of No. 5 (probable) |
4 |
Guns on main lines (probable) |
2 |
Total |
23 |
NOTE.—The Gloucester batteries, several of the water batteries, say four, and the water-bearing guns of the upper work, would bear on the extremity of this battery at 2 and 2 1/4 miles. Commander Missroon says he saw fifteen of the latter. I saw the same day his four or five from Moore’s. A traverse would protect the extremity. There
is 200 feet of space, and allowing 25 feet on the edge of bluff for howitzers would leave 175 feet. which space at 17 1/2 feet would give 10 guns; at 15 feet, 12 guns.
324
Guns on land fronts I have seen
Land Fronts |
Embrasures |
Heavy barbette |
Field |
Total |
Remarks |
Front No. 1 |
1 |
|
|
1 |
The big gun is on the west salient of this front |
East Flank |
|
|
2 |
2 |
|
Curtain |
1 |
|
|
1 |
|
West face |
|
|
|
|
|
Front No. 2 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
Very doubtful about divisions of these faces or whether there are two. |
East face |
1 |
|
1 |
2 |
|
Curtain |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
West salient |
|
|
|
|
|
Front No. 3 |
1 |
|
3 |
4 |
|
Curtain |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
East shoulder angle |
1 |
|
|
1 |
|
East face |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
Salient |
5 |
4 |
6 |
15 |
|
Total of land fronts |
|
|
|
|
|
Add the two rifled guns (counted as water bearing) |
|
|
|
2 |
|
Total |
|
|
|
17 |
|
The big rifled gun and its companion already counted in water-bearing guns.
Total guns bearing on approaches so far as yet seen:
Guns of detached works
|
Field |
Heavy |
In first barbette |
4 |
1 |
In salient in center |
4 |
|
In redoubt on left |
4 |
*1 |
Total |
12 |
2 |
Grand Total |
|
14 |
* 32-pounder howitzer.
LOCATIONS OF BATTERIES.
At a conference, consisting of the commanding general, Brig. Gen. Fitz John Porter, Brig. Gen. W. F. Barry, chief of artillery, and the chief engineer, it was decided to locate immediately batteries as follows:
Battery No. 1 (five 100-pounder and one 200-pounder Parrott) at Farinholt’s house.
Battery No. 2 (fifteen guns, 4 1/2, 30, and 20 pounders) 1,500 yards from red redoubt; 2,000 yards from big gun.
Battery No. 3 (six guns, 20-pounder Parrotts) 1,900 yards from Red Redoubt.
Battery No. 4 (ten 13 inch mortars) on Moore’s plateau.
Battery No. 5 (four 20-pounder Parrotts) near Warwick road.
N. B.—Six 20-pounder Parrotts were put in this battery.
The operations of the day have been the same as the preceding one.
Official Records of the Rebellion: Volume Eleven, Chapter 23, Part 1: Peninsular Campaign: Reports, pp.323-324
web page Rickard, J (4 February 2007), http://www.historyofwar.org/sources/acw/officialrecords/vol011chap023part1/02020_06.html