Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 April 1892 — FORT SUMTER’S FALL. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

FORT SUMTER’S FALL.

AN EVENT THAT THRILLED THE NATION S HEART. The Fiery Messenger of Death Which Opened the War of the Rebellion - Straggle in Charleston Harbor Over Thirty Year* Ago. Fin*t Gun of the War. The morning of April 12. thirtyone years ago, as it broke over the harbor of Charleston, S. C., was dark and raw. Steel-colored clouds floated lightly in the sky, and the waters were covered with a gray mist. Nowhere was there a gleam of light, until suddenly, at 4:30, a distant flash of lightning in the direction of Mount Pleasant was followed by the dull roar of a mortar. Then there rose across the darkened skies, like the trail of some comet portending mighty events which should thrill the hearts of men, a burning fuse which climbed heavenward, and, describing an arc among the clouds, descended with terrific velocity, landing amid a great square mass of masonry surrounded by the dark, rolling waters. This was the signal shot which

opened the bombardment of Fort Sumter by authority of Brigadier General Beauregard, commanding the provisional forces of the Confederate States. The flight of this flerv messenger of death from its mortar to the Union fortress protected by its slender band of soldiers was of mightier portent than even the most imaginative spectator who beheld it could have dreamed. It was the signal for the liberation of the forces which were to consolidate the Union, and to create a truly national spirit after the war of sectional animosities and prejudices had worn itself out. The people of this generation can scarcely appreciate the thrill which went through the country when the contestants thus began the struggle in Charleston harbor. The political events of 1860 had brought South and North face to face in hostile array. The long preparation made by the Southern party in the removal of arms from Northern arsenals and in the organization of secession in all the slave States, enabled them to act with a promptness and decision at which the Federal authorities could not arrive during the first days. In December of 1860, while President Buchanan was expressing his doubts of the constitutional power of Congress to make war upon a State, South Carolina was preparing the ordinance of secession which a few days later her Legislature was to adopt.

At Christmastide the State authorities seized Castle Pinckney and Fort Moultrie in Charleston harbor. Fort Moultrie had been under the command of Major Robert Anderson, with a small detachment of United States troops, and he had transferred his little body of men from Fort Moultrie to Fort Sumter in time to prevent them from falling into the hands of the rebellious South Carolinians. Charleston was, of course, furious on discovering the trick which Major Anderson had played. The whole town was roused on the morningafter he had seized on Sumter. The Government sent to demand an instant return of the troops to Fort Moultrie. To this summons Major Anderson replied that he was a Southern man, but that he had been assigned to the defense of Charleston harbor and intended to defend it. From Christmas until April both sides busied themselves in preparing for the expected attack. As soon as the Confederate administration learned that an attempt had been made by the Northern Cabinet to provision Fort Sumter..peaceably or forcibly, General Beauregard was authorized to demand the surrender of

Fort Sumter, and in case of refusal to proceed to its reduction. “The demand will be made to-mor-row at 12 o’clock,” was Beauregard’s answer. The relief squadron now appeared off the harbor, and accordingly, on his mind to a personal sacrifice, which he believed necessary to his and to the country’s honor, ahd in his reply to Beauregard he said that his “sense of honor and his obligations to his Government would not allow him to comply.” Gen. Beauregard was anxious to avoid going to extremes, and offered to transport Major Anderson and his command to any port in the United States, and also to allow him to move out of the fort with his company, arms and property and all his private ■iroperty, and to salute his flag. After his refusal Major A aderson

added: “Gentlemen, if you do not batter the fort to pieces about us, we shall be starved out in a few days.” This information was communicated to the Confederate Secretary of War, who telegraphed that he did not desire unnecessarily to bombard the 11th of April, at 2 o’clock in the afternoon, Gen. Beauregard sent Col. Chester, Col. Chisholm and Capt. Stephen Lee with a letter to Major Anderson, demanding the surrender of the fort. Major Anderson was not at all surprised. He had steeled Fort Sumter, and requested Major Anderson to state a time at which he would evacuate the fort on the 15th of April, provided he did not in the meantime receive contrary orders from his government, or additional supplies; but he positively refused to enter into any agreement not to fire against the Confederate troops in case they made any hostile demonstrations against the flag. It was clear that Major Anderson was endeavoring to gain time, in the belief that the relief flpet would arrive and save him. Meantime he received the following note: Fort Sumtsb, S. C.. April 12. 18C1—3:20 a. m.— Sin: By order ot Bricadler General Beauregard, commanding the Provisional forces of the Confederate States, we have the honor to notify you that we shall open

fire i n Fort Sumter in one hour from this time. We have the honor to be, very lespectfnlly, your obedient servants. J. Chestnut, Alde-de-Camp, Stei iikn H. Lee, Commanding Captain C. S. A., Alde-de-Camp. “On receiving this note Major Anderson was very much affected,” says Lieutenant General Lee, one of the signers of this note. “He seemed to realize the full importance of the consequences and the great responsibility of his position. Escorting us to the boat at the wharf, he cordially pressed our hands in farewell, remarking: “If we never meet in this world again, God grant that we may meet in the next.” The first gun of the war was fired from a 10-inch mortar. Captain James, who fired it, was a skillful officer, and the firing of the shell was a success. It burst immediately over the fort, apparently about one hundred feet above. The fire of the mortar woke the echoes from every nook and corner of the harbor, and in this, the dead hour

of night, the alarm brought every I soldier in the harbor to his feet and j every man, woman, and child in the , city of Charleston from,their beds. A thrill went through the whole city; no one thought of going home. Unused as their ears were to the appalling sounds or the vivid flashes from the batteries, they sat for hours spellbound with horror. After the second shell the defense batteries opened their fire on Sumter, and by 4:45 a. m. the tiring was general and regular. Immediately after the signal gun a deadly fire was opened on Sumter from all the batteries around. Thirty heavy guns and mortars belched forth missiles at once. The most destructive work was done by a battery on Sullivan's Island, which had been masked by brushwood, and this discharge surprised Major Anderson and his company. This battery was constructed with great skill: there were seventeen mortars throwing ten-inch shells and thirty-three heavy cannon, most of which were Columbiads. The firing from the great guns struck the walls of the fort with a resounding crash, and many of the shells burst inside the fort. For two hours Fort Sumter remained silent as the grave under this terrific fire of shot and shell. The soldiers lay quietly in the bomb-proofs, and the roll was called as if nothing unusual was going on. Breakfast was reduced to the slender item of fat pork, very rusty. Most of the men had eaten only a mouthful of this unsavory stuff when the trumpet called them to the ramparts. Daylight was now slowly breaking over the harbor, and the effects of bombardment were visible. It was evident that the enemy had concentrateel its tire on the barbette of the fortress, and were firing too high. But after daylight their tire improved and every hour the fort became hotter. Maj. Andersen now determined to take a hand in the fight. There were three points to be fired upon:. The Morris Island batteries, the James Island batteries and the Sullivan Island batteries, including the iron-clad floating battery, which was worrying the left flank of Sumter. Three ports, commanded by Capt. Doubleday, Lieut. Jefferson C. Davis and a sergeant, worked the guns bearing on Sullivan’s Island. The guns on the lower tier were the only ones used during the bombardment, except when the big guns were surreptitiously used once or

twice These were 32 and 42 pound* ers, but, although the gunners mads good practice, the shot from Sumter

bounded off the sides of the floating battery like peas. When the sun of Saturday, April 13, rose in splendor over the bay, the relief squadron, lying outside the bar, which it could not cross because ships loaded with stone had been sunk in the channel—dipped its flag to Sumter, but Sumter could not answer. The national flag was still flying, but it was entangled in the halliards, which had been cut by the enemy’s shot.

Sumter was already badly wrecked; the shells had scattered the loosened brick and stone in every direction, broken the windows, and set Are to the woodwork. No one was killed, but it was evident that the men could not resist much longer. Redhot shot were thrown into the fort every few moments. On Saturdaj’ morning these missiles set the barracks and officers’ quarters on Are. The main gate took fire and was destroyed. The sallyport was now opened to the besiegers. The heat had become intolerable. Sumter was a pandemonium of crashing shot, bursting shell, falling walla, and roaring flames. Eight times the enemy’s shot had hit the flagstaff without doing injury, but a little before 1 o’clock on this Saturdaj’ morning the flag was shot away. Lieut. Hall rushed out and snatched it from the glowing embers before it could take Are. He handed it to Sergeant Hart, who sprang upon the walls, and, planting the broken staff, left the old banner flying, with shot and shell flying like hail around it. At this juncture ex-Senator Wigfall, of Texas, was discovered looking in at the embrasure of the fort showing a white handkerchief on the point of his sword. Being conducted to Maj. Anderson he complimented that officer on his gallant defense, and stated that to continue the conflict under the circumstances would be to unnecessarily risk the lives of the men under his command without commensurate results. Col. Wigfall said that the troops, would cease firing as soon as the flag was lowered’, and he offered the terms of surrender already subI mitted by Beauregard. “Then.” said

Maj. Anderson, “I must surrender; I have no other resource, we are all in flames, and mj’ men will shortly suffocate.” Accordingly, at five minutes past 1 o’clock on the 13th of April the stars and strip’s were lowered, firing ceased, and Fort Sumter virtually passed into the possession of the Southern Confederacy. The evacuation of Fort Sumter took place about noon on Sunday, April 14. The garrison was to be allowed to transport the company arms and property, with all private property, and the privilege of saluting and raising its flag; and the bombardment was at an end. Not a man was killed on either side.

I. Ashley River. 4. Castle Pinckney. 7. Fort Moultrie. 10. Mo-rls Island. 13. James Island. !. (l>arle,ton 5. Mount Pleasant S. lOR p SLMTER. 12. Lighthouse Inlet. 14. Fort Rinlov. 8. Cooper River. 6. bulhvan s Island. 9. Cumming’s Point. 12. Fort Johnson. 15. City Battery.

CHARLESTON AND VICINITY IN 1861.

MAJ. ROBERT ANDERSON IN 1861.

GEN. BEAUREGARD IN 1861

INTERIOR OF FORT SUMTER AFTER THE BOMBARDMENT.