The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-04-15
THE REVOLUTION At THE SOUTH.
CHARLESTON BEFORE THE bonn.
BAR DMENT. ass9s

From the Charleston Courier Of Friday,
printed few hours previous to the cannonad-
ing. we copy the following
Thursday is among the days that will never
be wiped out of the memory of the inhabi-
tants of Charles ton. Since the glorious strug-
gle in which engaged was begun, our
community has been often wrought upon by
a high degree of excitement. But never has
the tide risen to SO high point rs 1t reached
Thursday. The feeling was fed by the dis
patches, by numerous items OF news men,
toned in subdued terms and by coun tless re-
ports which were without foundation. Ru-
NOR had free access to every ear. Business |
was suspended, and had it not been that anx |
| iety darkened every face, one ignorant of the I
| course of events would have supposed that |
| we were keeping holiday.
| The bulletin boards were surrounded by |
groups till the stars came out, and then the |
| offices We're filled with eager readers. The |
! hour of noon found knots of ladies and gentle |
| men on the battery, and before sundown that |
beautiful promenade was covered with anx- |
| ious spectators. 1t having been bruited that |
| at the ringing of the first bell, the batteries |
| would be opened upon the defiant fortifcation,
| hundreds of eyes were looking out upon the |
| rafiled bay, and there the impatient and anx- |
| ious stood despite the raw East wind their |
number increasing every moment till patience |
| and strength We're exhausted, and they re-
| traced their weary way homeward.
| The preparations for defence, under the eve |
| Of this an xious multitude, added not a little
| to the feeling under which they had left their
| homes. There, on the green grass of White
| fOnL aTarGen, StOOQ the Wnlte tents OF the
| Citadel Cadets, cleaning in the mellow light
| of the stars. And the manful forms of the
| brave young soldiers were seen about the can
non, which, had they been called to shot and
| sight, would have reduced the number of
South CaIoiina's foes.
A report from the sea intensified the uni
| yersal excitement. Late in the afternoon one
| of our Pilots reached the city and stated that
| he had seen steamer off the bar, which he
was confident was the Harriet Lane. The
. vessel stood towards him, but he did not
desire to give any information he kept on his
course.
L. was confidently believed that before the
day was passed, the booming OF cannon would
be heard, when another fact was comnupi-
Gated from mouth to mouth. AT about .
O'Clock +. IL, Col. James Chestnut, Jr, of
Gen. BeaQregard's staff, accompanied by Coils.
Chisolm and Lee. left the city for Fort Sum
ter bearing the summons to Major Anderson
| for the surrender of that tortificat ton. They
returned between five and six o'clock with
the reply. As the precise nature of his an
swer has not yet transpired, We pass it over
| in silence.
We might indulge in plausible predictions
| and conjectures concerning this important
mission and the events of the day, but we
! forbear. .n. ...s ...- ..
At about 10 O'Clock the Commanding Gene
raj again communicated with Maj. Anderson,
| and he was given until l O'Clock to return an
ans wer. se-
The city is quiet Were it not for the uni.
| forms in the streets we would not suppose we
were on the eve of a battle. We will not pen
| citrate this placid exterior. The ma ture of the
| crisis can be perceived in our homes. Many
a woman's heart is throbbiug wildly, and the
| couch of hundreds of mothers, sisters and
wiTes will be watered with tears. But
II ough there may be weeping and anguish
ne knees are trembling and no facts arc
, ! blanched with fear. s. e.
! ! Honor is dearer than life to South Carroll
nians. 1t is better to die freemen than to live
slaves. We are tranquil under the shadow of
the ga altering cloud. We repose implicit con-
fi,sence in the brave hearts and strong arms OF
:, hp n
back the base invaders of our sacred SOIL
, The God of Battles is with our host, and we
are certain of. victory.
| The Charleston Mercury, of the same date,
says;
The reliable events of the day were, that
about three o'clock demand for the evacua-
| ton of Fort Sumter was made by Gen. Beau
!: regard, through his Aids, Col. Chesnut Col.
| Chisorn, and Capt. Lee and that Major An
| derson replied he could not, consistently with
his honor an officer of the United States
Army, retire from his post without instruc-
!, tions from his Government. At half past IL
p. NJ, Gen. Beauregard's final reply was
borne TO him by the officers, but mp to
the hour of our going to press, we have not
had any farther in formation
. Among the noticeable incidents visible from
: the Battery last evening, were a number of
. | rockets let off, private signal no doubt, by
u the steamers on duty in the harbor; also the
fiery appearance of the three schooners in the
| neighborhood of Sumter, with pine wood and
. tar burning for the purpose of lighting the
= | harbOr in that vicinity
i. THE PRESS AND THE REVOLUTION
d The Baltimore Exchange, of SATURDAY. tn us
X alludes to the war
e The suspense in which the country has been
= kept for the past week is at last dissipated by
e the terrible cetainty that the long an ticipated
l. crisis has been reached. War has begun be
Il tween this Government and the people of the
L Confederate States. The attack upon For,
If Sum ter Indicates the determined resolution OF
d the people of the seeded States to maintain
| they fha do
e parture Southwark of the armament which
sr has sailed from New York proves the purpose
IS OF the Admins tration to coerce the Gull
l. Sta tes into obedience. 1t is for the American
r people to say whether this quarrel is to bt
is settled by III atual slaughter; and IL more
of blood is to flow before I'm adjustment is ever
e. contemplated, 1. is for the men of the Borde
IA States TO decide whether their sympathy ant
s, their active support is to be given to thei
s. brethren of the North or the South. UpoI
one side or the other we must take our stand
he and that right speedily.
J, The National Intelligencer Gincoln's hom
r. organ) briefly announces the opening of hos
d. tilities, and says:
is The considerations which induced the latte
o, 1.-THE beseigers] TO take the initiative in pre-
u ciptating this deplorable event, are stated IL
er our teiegraphc report and do not call for ap
I'd probation at onr hands while as yet we ar
is left in doubt especting the purposes assigned
re to the Federal Government by the militar
ry authorities at Charleston. At present we ca
D. only give expression to the profound sOrroy
ne with which we contemplate the melanchol
ly spectacle of fratrcidal conflict, which, how
e. ever begun, or however ended can bring onl
IN shame TO every lover of his land, and onl
It, grief TO every friend of humanity
A VACANCY do not hear much to con
A. firm the report that Secretary Chase will z
to ! on to the Supreme Bench, in place Of Mr.. Nj
of Lean, that Mr.. Cameron will take the Treas
in ury Department, and that John Minor Bolts
ON of Virginia, will be appointed Secretary
cs | War. ta.s
on Mr. Bolts has been closeted with member
5S of the Cabinet; and Governor Denison ha
sh been advising Secretary Chase 10 advant
en- himself il he can, to the Supreme Bench.
ad one OF Mr.. Bolts interviews, we have hear
he that Mr.. Lincoln having asked him "wh,
r. should be done with the traitors now ~ Il
,ss Virginian replied, '' Grape for the rank an
Of file, and hemp for the leaders" p Yashfngte
States. Friday.
In connection with the foregoing, ii may
IL stated tina. rumor was current on our stree
~ yesterday that Mr.. Bolts had become a SUI
of den convert to the doctrine OF secession.
ed nro.v uxocx noux An.rx.xrs The
nr passed through on last night three more
oh & Co., Richmond, Va, u the order OF Go
on IN Brown. Two were ten inch, and weighs
~ each Is, $50 pounds. One was an eight-inc
a.; | weighing 9,475 pounds. As Accomplishments
~. | car load OF eight inch shot, weighing sixt
'he | four pounds each, and eight-snch she
Ia weighing fifty pounds each, went with theI
@ @Io More making In all sou shells, weighing hf
A's pounds each, are en- route, destined for 8
yanuah-4afIdatd Commonwealth, 9fh.