Fort Macon, which guarded and protected the town of Beaufort, was situated on bluff on Bogue’s Bank, one mile and three quarters from the town. It commanded the entrance to the harbor, having a full sweep of fire over the main channel. Opposite the fort, at the entrance of the harbor, is Shackleford Bank, one mile and a half across. The fortification was of a hexagonal form, had two tiers of guns—one in casemated bombproof, and the other en barbette. Its armament consisted of twenty thirty two pounders, thirty twenty four pounders, two eighteen pounders, three field pieces for flanking defence, twelve flank howitzers, eight eight inch howitzers (light), eight eight inch howitzers (heavy), one thirteen inch mortar, three ten inch mortars, and two Coehorn mortars—making a total of eighty nine guns.
The war garrison of the fort was three hundred men. For heating shot there were large furnaces in the fort, and at the time of seizure there was a large quantity of powder in the magazine. The masonry and iron work were much out of repair when the fort was seized by the rebels, which was done by order of Governor Ellis on the 2d of January, 1861. Much of the wood work, &c., was then in a state of decay. The piers of the wharf and the superstructure were much out of order, but it is reported that the acting Governor had placed all the forts of the State in a most efficient state of preparation for defence and resistance.
Governor Pickens of South Carolina, immediately after the seizure of Forts Macon and Caswell, sent, for their defence, some dozen ten inch columbiads, which were divided according to the respective strength and necessities of each. It is now in the hands of the Union forces, and the details of its capture will soon be made public.
Lewistown Gazzette, Lewistown, PA