Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1860-12-27
Affairs at CharIestOn..Prepar.
ing for War.

from the beginning acted on the principle
that Secession is Revolution, and from the
first moment been preparing for it. She
can tomorrow bring ten thousand men in.
to the field who, if not well armed, cal
supply all Deficiencies from the United
States Arsenal, which she now conscien.
tiously guards at the invitation of Mr.
Secretary Floyd. She is making ready tc
fight the whole Federal power, and accept:
all the consequences. For weeks more
than one-haif of her total male population
capable of bearing arms, have been drill
ing and arming. Tens of thousands O.
dollars have been expended by individual:
in the purchase of Colts and other i'm
proved arms. The thoughts of her entire
population have been turned to this single
idea, and purpose. She is thoroughly ir
earnest; yet she is blind, stubborn, wrong
headed, and wrong-hearted. In this alone
probaly two thousand welldisciplined and
well-appointed men could, at an hours no.
tice, be marched against Fort Moultrie,
which is defended by not more than 70
men, including officers, soldiers, aud must
clans. For the last month the leaders have
studied the military books, brought whatev.
er was useful in war applicable to the en-
terprise Immediately before them; drilled,
marched and countermarched their men
every night, and parade them by day, with
the single idea of taking Fort Moultrie,
and, as a consequence the other forts. The
men who are to lead the daring underta-
king were long since selected; they are
those who at Chepultepec led the Palmet-
to Regiment, and gave it a name for deeds
of daring IN the plains and in the defles
of Mexico. The ground has been well sur
veyed; the chances estimated. Well may
they conclude hat the danger and loss will
not be very great. For what can that lit
tie band in Fort Moultrie do against two
thousand?
Meanwhile the men of Fort Moultrie,
neglected as they are by the Government,
have not been idle. All that science, skill
and laborious industry employed night and
day, could accomplish by way of strength
ening the position, has been done, or is be-
ing done. Every man there is a true man,
knowing that the revolutionists can at any
moment ~precipitate all the Cotton States
into secession, and that the leaders in this
city are wicked and insane enough to bring
on the tragedy whenever they conceive that
the necessities of their desperate cause
call for it. The garrison at Fort Moultre
have from the first been aware on what
ground they stood, and have comprehend
ed the p%erilous tenure of peace. At nc
time within the last five weeks have the
chances of an attack, almost any night,
been less than imminent.
Sixty or seventy against fifteen hundred
or two thousand! That is the sort of task
which the Administration places before the
gallant band at Fort Moultrie. l never
have pretended that they who alone in all
South Carolina daily hoist the stars and
stripes, and march shoulder to shoulder to
the music of the Union, would be able
to withstand such odds. Yet the Govern
ment that trifles with their lives in a man.
uer that must yet arouse the nation in in.
dignation when the truth shall become full
ly duown, issues an order requiring this
little band to ''defend and hold" not only
Fort Moultrie, but Fort Sumter and Cas-
tie Pinckney beside! 1t is the work of a
thousand men; possibly five hundred could
do it; but less than 70 are set to the work,
and that too when soldiers enough are
within a few hours of Charleston, whom
any boy would undertake to transport to
Fort Moultrie, and not let the Revolution
lists here know it, either.
A great many rumors are afloat as to
the preparatiaus both for the attack and
the defense. A large number of scaling
ladders and bridges are being secretly
made for the Revolutionists, and the opin-
ion extensively prevails that batteries are
being placed at different points. Nothing
but the lack of heavy guns prevents the
latter from being done. Examination was
recently made of the site of an old fortif-
cation on the south side of the harbor,
where it vas possible some cannon might
stilr remain. 1t is believed that none were
found there, but the Revolutionists are in
hopes of obtaining heavy guns from some
quarter, and they will probably succeed.
The commanding officer at Fort Moul-
trie is peculiarly situated. His present or
ders are to "act rigidly on the defensive"
Were he permitted to exercise a wise dis
and erect batteries at the point
where Sullivan's Island will be invaded
from the main land, it would be extreme
ly doubtful whether the R~evolutionists
would get nearer than a mile of the Fort.
The island is quite thickly covered by all
sorts of buildings-some of the fine summer
residences of wealthy citizens of Charles
ton. In case of an attack, you may rely
a certainty that these buildings will not
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, will also of necessity
decide what shall be done and how. l
to no exclusive information. But
Is 1t supposing too much in regard to men
as are those of Fort Moultrie, to
that they will be at all fastidious
In the means of defense al their command.
Nor need there be any surprise if, when
the city OF Charleston pours forth its or
gained and armed mob to massacre the
garrison; and, so far as they can
do 1t, overthrow the Government of the
country, the city itself should be visited
with speedy and terrible re,r;hr,, T.