Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-12-21

South Carolina knows that there Is no
such thing as peaceful secession. She has
from the beginning acted on the principle
that Secession is Revelation, and nom The
| hrst moment been preparing for II. She can
tomorrow bring ten thousand men into the
Geld who, II rot well armed, can supply al
! deficiencies from the United States Arsenal
which she now so eonscientously guards al
the invitation Of Mr.. Secretary Floyd. She
is making ready TO fight the whols Federal
power, and accepts all the consequences For
! weeks more than one half Of her total male
] population, capable Of bearing arms have
been drilling and arming. Tens Of thOus-
ands OF dollars have been expended by indi-
] viduals in the purchase Of Colts and other
/ improved arms. The thoughts Of her entire
/ population have been turned 10 this single
/ idsa and purpose. She is thoroughly in
earnest; jet she is blind, stubborn, wrong
headed, and wrOng-hearted. In this city
alone, probably two thousand Well-discip-
lined and well-appointed men could, at an
hours notice, be marched against Port Mohl-
trie, which is defended by not more than 10
men, including officers, soldiers, and musi-
clans. For the last month the leaders have
studied the military books, bought whatever
Z vs. .fflNANN - VA aHhaANaAlN " INAlG Nu-
terprise Immediately before them drilled,
marched and codntefmarched their men every
night, and paraded them by day, with the
single idea Of taking Fort Moultrie, and, as q
consequence, the other forts. The men who
are to lead the daring undertaking were long
since selected they are those who at Chepul-
tepec led the Palmetto Regiment, and gave
it name for deeds Of daring on the plains
and in the defiles Of Mexico The ground |
has been well surveyed the chances esti-
mated. Well may they conclude that the |
danger and loss will not be very great For !
what can that littls band in Fort Mdultrie |
do against two thousand 2 ..r ,.s.t
Meanwh bile the men of Fort Moultrie, neg
lected as they are by the Government, have |
not been idle All that science, skill ard
laborious industry employed night and day, I
could accomplish by way of strengthening |
the position, has been done, or is being done. |
Every man there is a true man, knowing that |
the revOlutiOnists can at any moment ptecipi- |
tate all the Cotton States into secession, and |
that the leaders in this city are wicked and /
insane enough to bring on the tragedy when
ever they conceive THAI the necessities of their !
desperate cause call for it. The garrison at |
Fort Moultrie have from the first been aware |
on what ground they stood, and have COM |
pretended the perilous tenure of peace At /
no time within the last i've weeks have the |
chances Of an attack, almost any night, been
less than imminent 10 r i
L Sixty. or seventy against fifteen hundred or
two thousand That's the sort of task which !
the Administration places before the gallant |
band at Fort Moultrie. / never have preten-
ded that they who alone in all South Catolf- |
ma duly hoist the stars and stripes, and /
march shoulder to shoulder to the music of |
the Union, would be able to Withstand such |
odds. Yetthe Government that triies with /
their lives in manner that must yet arouse
the nation in Indignation when the truth
shall become fully known, issues an order re-
quiring this little band to ''defend and hold9' /
not only Fort Moultrie, but Fort Sumter aud
Castle Pinckney besidel It is the work of a
thousand men; possibly FIVE hundred could
do il; but less than 20 are set 70 thework,
and that sstoo when folders enough are with
in a few hours Of Charleston, whom any boy I
wvuld undertake TO transport to Fort MOul-
trie, and not let the Revolutionists here know
it either.
A great many rumors are aAoat as to the
preparations both for the attack aad, the de-
tense, A large number of scaling-ladders
and bridges are being secretly made for the
Revolutionists, and the opinion extensively /
prevails that batteries are being placed at
different points. Nothing but the lack OF
heavy guns prevents the latter from being
done. Examination has recently been made
of the site Of an old forii6cation on the south
side of the harbor, where it was possible
some cannon might still remain. It is be-
Gorraa flvof h,,t A. I
Revolutonists are in hopes OF obtaining
heavy guns from some quarter, and they will
probably succeed
The commanding officer at Fort Moultrie
is peculiarly situated. His present orders are
to "act rigidly on the defensive" We're he
permitted to exercise a wise discretion, and
erect batteries at the point where SuIlivan's
Island will be invaded from the main land,
it would be extremely doubtful whether the
RevOlutionists would ever get nearer than a
mile of the Fort. The island isquite thickly
covered by all sorts of buildings-some of
the fine summer residences Of wealthy citi-
Zens of Charleston. In case of an attack,
you may rely for certainty thai these build
ings will rot be suffered to stand as so many
hiding places, but will at once be leveled and
burnt The circumstances of the occasion,
when the attack is made, viii also of neces-
sity decide what shall be done and how. |
pretend to no exclusive information. But it
is supposing too much in regard TO men con-
fined as are those of Fort Moultrie, to con-
-clude that they viii be tall fastdious in the
use of the means of defense at their COM
mand. Nor need there be any surprise if,
when the city of Charleston pours forth its
organized and armed mob to massacre the
MOultrie garrison; and, so far as they can do
it, overthrow the Government of the coun-
try, the city itself should be visited with
speedy and terrible retribution. Ilmay hap
pen that the moment Fort MOuItrie is attack
ed, Forts Sumter and Castle Pinckney will
open a shower Of shells upon the city. Her
cotton warehouses wonld be like so many
match boxes to kindle confagration, while
bombs and shot were rained upon all quar-
ters Of the city.