Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-12-31
Evacuation Of Fsrt Neultrie-Excitement in
the City.

Evacuation Of Fsrt Neultrie-Excitementi in !,
the City. |
IFrom the Charleston Courier of Friday
Thfoug bout The, city yesterday the greatest en- |
citement prevailed In relation to the news from
Forts Moultrie and Sumter. AS early rs eight
o'clock In the forenoon the rumors Of the destruc-
ton OF the former of these military posts and the
occupation Of the latter by the forces Of the United
States, circulated. IL was at first currently
reported and believed that Fort Moultrie bad been
laid In ruins, that the guns were spiked, and the
carriages, &c, together with the barracks burned,
and that the post had been entirely abandoned.
The reports spread like wild-fre, and soon gained
currency In every part of the city. Crowds Of
citizens anxiously inquired Of each other the latest
intelligence in relation to the sfair-squads col
lected on every corner Of the streets, and In froat
Of the public resorts to canvass the subject.
The newspaper offices were besieged, the hotel
halls were thronged and even the grave and
serious gentlemen composing the State convention
shared In the general excitement On all hands
anger and indignation was expressed at the sup
posed perfldious conduct Of the Federal authori-
ties. at whose instance IL was at first thought the
movement was made. The people Were greatly
incensed at the idea Of wilful breach Of those
assurances of non-action which had been volun-
teered by the Government at Washington, and
upon which SO much reliance and confidence had
impulse to take the necessary precautions for their
own safety had been restrained.
Instinctively men few to arms. Orders were
| Immediately issued to the following companies
Washington Light Infantry, Capt Il. Simon.
| ton; Carolina Light Infantry, Capt b. G.. Pinck-
/ ney; Meagber Guards, Capt. Ed. McCready, jr.,
riaeS eommSnded by P Col J. u Pettigrew and ID
| Major Ellison Capers; also, to the Marion Artil-
lery. Capt. J. G King; Lafayette Artillery, Capt.
4 Pope, jri Warrington Artillery, Capt; g.
all under command of Lieut.. Col. w. g. Desaus-
| sure; Adjutant, james Simmons, jr.; Sergeant
Major, f. Prioleau Ravenel; Quartermaster Ser
II Ar.nHh hat Efss
| geons, p. g. Robinson and Middleton Michel.
Also, the Palmetto Guard, Capt. Thos. Middleton,
/ and Cadet Riiemen, Capt w. y. Elliott
All the military forces thus ordered out prompt
ly obeyed the simmons, and the streets were soon
| enlivened by the appearance OF Individual men,
| bers Of the different organizations in their uni
| forms. About noon the excitement in the streets
had attained the highest pitch. The Convention
| was known to be in secret conclave, aud 1t was
believed that this was the subject matter Of their
| deliberations The streets swarmed with people.
| Additional flags were displayed from the stores
and houses on the principal streets The custom
| house, and other buildings formerly In the pos
| session Of the United States Government, dis
| played the bunting Of the infant Republic OF
| South Carolina. Every one looked upon the
| "war as actually begun" aud all seem to feel
| that their brethren were in the field, and them
selves began to grow restless at the prospect OF
Later in the day, however, the excitement wa.
somewhat abated, when 1t became known that
the movement on the part Of the U s. forces al
Il
ministration at w Washington, but was merely
precautionary measure taken by Commander An.
derson, under conviction that his position within
| the fortress on Sullivan's island would not be
tenable, If attacked in it by well-organized and
| disciplined troops. The contradiction Of the frs
reports in relation to the damage done the fort by
the troops that had evacuated IL, also had a tend
| ency TO allay the excitement Of the occasion.
ii FORT SUMTER As OCCUPIED.
In order TO ascertain truthful statements Of tn:
| actual damage done to the fort OF the caus o.
| the movement, and Of the state Of affairs gener
ally reporters were dispatched TO the scene during
hoisting Of an American flag from the staff of For
, Sumter at precisely 12 O'Clock, gave certain indi
cation that the stronghold was occupied by ths
, troops of the United States On a nearer approach
the fortress was discovered to be occupied, tn,
Z guns appeared TO be mounted and sentinels wer
discovered duty, and the place gave every sigl
Of occupancy and military discipline The grin
fortress frowned defiance on every side-the bus
notes Of preparation resounded through its unfOr
bidding recesses, and everything seemed to indi
cate the utmost alacrity In the work on hand.
FORT aoULTRIE AND ITS CONDITION
Turning owards Fort NJ oultrie, dense clou,
of smoke was seen to pour from the end facing tn
sea. The Flagstaff was down, and the Who'll
place had an air Of desolation and abandonment
quite the reverse Of It's busy look one week age
when scores Of laborers were engaged In addin
to its strength all the works skill and experienc
> | could suggest.
in the Immediate vicinity Of the rear or Lane
ms Gf US x. fs sse force
hands had been summoned TO deliver up the
, implements for transportation TO Fort Sumter
, Around on every side were the evidences Of labo
in the fertilization Of the work. In many place
portion Of the defenses were strengthened by ey
cry appliance that art could suggest or ingenuit
, devise; while in others, the uncompleted work
J gave evidences Of the utmost confusion. On a
. hands the process OF removing goods, furnitur,
I aud munitions, was yet going on. The heav
}. | guns upon the ramparts OF the fort were throw
; dawn CARRIAGES iEpd
y | ounce Of powder and every cartridge had bee
removed from the magazines; and, in fact ever,
n thing like small arms, clothing, provisions, al
= coutrements, and other Munitions Of war, la
{ been removed of and deposited-nothlng br
y heavy balls and useless cannon remained.
The entire place was, to all appearances, rttere
| up with the odd ends and fragments Of wars DEF
: olation Confusion could not have been NOR
complete had the late occupants retired In the fac
y Of beseging foe Fragments of gun carriage
u | &c, broken 10 pieces, bestrewed the rampant
Sand bags, and barrels filed with earth, crowne
J | the walls, and were firmly imbedded In the
c bomb proof surface, as an additional safeguard
and Notwithstanding the heterogeneous scatter in
- Of materials and implements, the walls Of the 70
evinced vague degree OF energy In prepaTin
= for an attack ditch some fifteen feet wide an
e about the same In depth surrounded the entil
q a glacis has been commenced and prosecute
nearly to completion, with airamPart Of sand bag
barrels. &c
z On one side of the fort palisado of Palmett
- plete defence against an escalading party. Ne
~ embrasures have been cut in the walls SO as
command the face Of the bastioDs and ditch The,
!, new defences are all incomplete, and eyidenC
I. | OF the haste with which they were erected. CO..
e sidering the inferior force, In point Of number
', under his command, Major Anderson had PAL
particular attention TO strengthening only a sma
IA part Of the fort
n A greater portion of the labor expended w
o spent upon the citadel center Of the west pol
Of the position. This he had caused TO be strengt
a ened In every way; loop holes were cut an
4 everything was so arranged that I'm case we
!. concerted attack was made he would have retire
from the outer bastions to the citadel, and afte
II wards blow up the other portions of the fort r
V this purpose mines had already been sprung ar
q trains had been laid ready for the application
N the match The barTack rooms and every 9th
n part Of the fort that was indefensible would ha
= | gone at a touch
% On the ramparts of the fort fronting Fort Sur
4 ter were nine eight-inch Columbiads mount,
N ON wooden carriages. AS soon the evacuati,
a Of the fort was complete the carriages Of the
A guns were fired, and at the time Of visiting Il
N fort yesterday, were nearly consumed, and q
a l guns thereby dismounted. These guns az We
n as those constituting the entire armament Of 4
- -. IA