Clearfield Republican

The Defences of Savannah.—The following description of the defences of Savannah has been furnished to the Cincinnati Commercial by Mr. I. M. Davidson, who was made prisoner at the battle of Chickamauga, and released in the late exchange at Savannah:

Our trip down the Savannah on tugs boats to our fleet showed us the rebel fortification at Fort Jackson. The river at that point is lined with huge siege guns: from the boat, I counted thirty-six. They command the channel. The river is blockaded with heavy timbers laid up in the shape of a log house, the interior of which is filled with stone and brick, and these obstructions are all fastened to one another with a heavy cable chain, leaving only one passage wide enough for a boat. Above these, at intervals, are torpedoes; their situation is known by the sharp pointed projection of a log about six inches from the surface. At one place, in particular, there are rows of logs side by side; those all point down the river.

There was not a man to be seen at or near the fortifications. The guns seem to be mounted on the bank, and then earthworks thrown up for the protection of the men. The magazines are built on the surface, and then dirt enough thrown up to cover them. At first sight, they would seem to be on the spot to look for the guns; but the guns are ten feet below these earth-works.

Off from the river, half a mile or more before you reach Fort Jackson, is an extensive fort. Whether this is considered a part of Fort Jackson, I could not ascertain. It has been built for some time, for the weeds and sea grass have grown so high that unless one was looking for a fortification he would not notice it. I should judge that this covers several acres: but where the black war-dogs looked over its earthworks the grass and weeds are cut down.

Beauregard has spent many an hour in laying the foundation and getting the range of this point of the river.

These guns together with the obstructions in the river, are well intended to crush any thing that attempts to come up. But for its protection from a land force from the direction of Savannah, it offers but little resistance.