Covered by Cross Fires

Fortress Rosecrans included a wide opening in its wall, called a sortie passage, as a calculated part of its defenses. The ground near the walls was covered by cannon fire from many angles, and with nearby trees and brush cleared away, the fort had no blind spots, so enemy troops could not approach without suffering massive losses and no enemy came close. If a lunette was attacked, it repulsed the enemy with direct musketry and artillery fire, while neighboring lunettes and curtains crossed their fire in front of it; if one of the curtains was attacked, the enemy faced direct fire and cross fire from the lunettes. Civil War cannoneers could fire solid shot, exploding shells, or case shot at long range, then switch at four hundred yards to canister or grapeshot that sent a deadly shower of iron balls into enemy ranks. The sortie passages were designed to admit or give exit to large masses of the fort's own troops during a general engagement.

Murfreesboro, Tennessee · United States