The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-12-28
Exciting News from the Re.
public Of South Carolina
Major Anderson Abandons Fort
Moultrie and Spikes the Guns,
Most Of the United States Troops Retire
TO Fort Sumpter, in the Harbor.
~--~-~~~-~->~~~SS~~~~~o-
IMMENSE STRENGTH or THAT FORT.
Great Excitement in ChariesteG on
the Subject
The Convention i'm Secret
Session.
THE STATE MILITIA ORDERED OUT.
Volunteers from Georgia and
Alabama.
-~-~>e~~~>~~~~-~~~-~~~~~
Indignation Of the Sonth Carolina temmis-
sionefs in Washington.
SPECIAL MEETINGS or the CkBlMET.
~~~>~~>-~-~~~s~~~-~~o-~~
MAJOR ANDERSON DISODEYS HIS ORDERS.
sketch Of the 1evolution IN South
Carolina,
&C., Co., &c.

me news from Charleston yesterday was Of most
exstng character and until the details received,
created no little throughout the city the Grst
dispatches led people 70 believe that collision had
taken place between the population Of Charleston and the
United States troops gaisoning Fort Moultre and that
we were actually a, war with the independent State Of
south Carolina.
The facts, however, show that Major Anderson, who
commands Fort Moultris, knowing the position TO be
tenabie evacuated and took possession Of Fort snmp,
an almost impregnabe post where in the event Of
attack upon United States property, be would be
enabled 10 defend It against great odds. Before
leaving Fort Noutre Major Anderson spiked the guns
sst fre the gun carriages and this latter action
do1bt led to the report that the whole fort in flames
leaving the inference that had been taken by the pcpu
hce and the garrison driven This however, il no
the fact Anderson withdrew for strategic purposes for
known that General Scott expressed tho opinion tha
Fort Moultrie could not be held against rcscute
attack for twenty -four hours, but that Sumpter
tho strongest fort Of s size in the world and could
only be taken by starving out the garrison In this
try coincide. II Is conceded that would require
bombardmcnt Of six months with guns Of the
heaviest metal TO destroy Fort sumpter and then could
only be done, at all, by chipping oG the masonry piece
by piece. This fort moreover, commands the entire city
and harbor Of Charleston, well Fort Moutre itself
being built on m island in the middle Of the channel
easily be relieved from the Thus Il win be
that the evacuation Of weak and comparatively worth
Hess position for stronger one was wise military
Anderson before leaving the Fort 70 blow up; but that
was not believed. Captain Foster, with small force
stl remains there
win be seen, from the description which give be
the forts and the harbor OF Charleston that
with Fort Sampler In the hands Of the United States
TROOPS Fort Nourie would be very weak point for the
south Caroinians whose intention II 10 seise the
before attacking the latter But before entering
upon history The defences, let us give brief sketch
of the movement In South Carolina, which led
her separation from the Union and which has brought
these defcnces into such prominent notoriety. -
Tue REVOLUTION IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
N ssate OF south Carolina Tor thirty years has
been the victim Of periodical attacks Of disunou and
than since ths nme when jackson, with the
federal army and navy at his back, and Clay with his
acute satemanshp, settled the nudcatiou difficulty In
1s32 he has threatened TO secede so often, indeed
has shc raised the cry Of wolf that when the wolf
really came On tho Goth OF this mouth, and the seces
sion ordinance was framed people hardly believed H.
and many even doubt that she means
TO stay % the confederacy. But unfortunately
tho aEgravating abolition agitation In the North which
for the nt quarter of century has been growing In In
telsy md violence forced many other Southern States
nto sympathy with the ponccr Of secession until the
feeling q mstrust In the fafe,y Of Southern rights and
proprp pervaded tho whole South, that absolute
severance from the anaical North seemed be the only
guarantee for the Of Southern institutions upon
which the very c Of the acen southern States depend
cd We vii stop consider the course Of action
~ which this opinion brought about; II Is enough 70
know that exists present hour 70 an extent alarm
ng 10 contemplate, aud 70 point 70 the history Of the
anisvery societies for thirty years back and TO the
language of black republican leaders and newspapers for
che preceding four ave years. Indicate the cause
The election of Lincoln in November immediaseI,
followed by intense excitement all through the south
and presented 70 south Carolina and the extremists a
southern strong grounds for secession from The
Union. south carolinsaivays In the vau-whether up
her own notion or by understanding with the ul
of the Gulf and cotton States, took the initiative
and proclaimed her intention 10 secede,
The Legislature of tho State called popular Convention
y take action upon the question The people, alive 70
'he emergency a. elected delegates and the nth OF
ptcembcr was nxed upon for the Convention 70
Columbia, tho state capital Tho Convention met on that
day and with considerable solcmny proceeded busl
ness opening the session with prayer The eyes not only
Of their coas,uenss but of the whole country we're
upon tho members q that representative body. and
every felt that The future course Of nearly every
Southern state 10 be determined BY their Action
After several basots for President General d Jami-
elected, and upon taking the chair addressed
tho Convention In these Words
Cxwr,Nrv or rur Cnwvrvrov--wben say that have
words express the qualification which your conn
seace hss afforded me, only say precisely what mean
Tnere honor esteem highly han sign the
o.dnancc a ssiou, mber of this body. but
win rerard u the greatest honor N my life 20 sign ID
y0uy presiding uffccr. We have entered a great
H. ans Cod who holds IN his hands the deenies Of
ratoue cutv knows what may hc the results. That II
fnoy lea ii o. hrr rrNi glory of South Carolina y my
mos fer pfaycr. May Cot aid our sfatel am TOO