Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1861-01-19
PcKENs COURT HOUSE, S c. SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 1861.


avoided, and of his studied determination to
pursue course with reference to the military
force and forts in this harbor which shall
guard against such collision. He has, there
fore, carefully abstuincd from increasing the
force at this point, or taking any measures
which might add t. the present excited state
of the public mind or which would throw
any doubt on the confidence he feels that
South Carolina will not attempt by violence
to obtain possession of the public works or
interfere with their occupancy.
6 But as the counsel and acts of rash and
impulsive persons may possibly disappoint
these expectations of the Government, he
deems it proper that you should be prepared,
with instructions, to meet so unhappy a con-
tingency. lie has, therefore, directed me
verbally to give you such instructions.
You are carefully to avoid every act which
would ncedcssly tend to provoke aggression,
and for that reason you are not without ne
ccssity, to take up any position which could
be construed into the assumption of u hostile
attitude; but you are to hold possession of
the forts in this hirbor, and if attacked you
are to defend yourself to the last extremity.
"Thc smallness of your force will not per-
INIT you, perhaps, to occupy more than one of
the three forts, but an attack on, or attempt
to take possession of either of them, will be
regarded as an act of hostility, and yon may
then put your command into either of them
which you may deem most proper, to increase
its power of resistance You are also au-
thorized to take similar steps whenever you
have tangible evidence of design to proceed
to Il hostile act, d. p BUTLER,
" Assistant Adiutaut General"
"FoRT MoULTRIE, S. G., Dec IL, 1860"
This i'm tv fp M inctrnotiono 10
Major Buell.. JOHN b. FLOYD,
"Sccrctary of War"
These were the last instructions transmitted
to Major Anderson before his removal to Fort
Sumter, with single exception, in regard to
nparticular which does not in any degree af-
feet the present question. Under these cir
cumstanccs, it is clear that Major Anderson
acted upon his own responsibility and without
authority unless, indeed, he had tangible
evidence OF a design to proceed to hostile
act on the part of the authorities of South
Carolina, which has not been alleged. Still
he is brave and honorable officer, and ius-
ticc requires that he should not be condemn
ed without fair hearing
BE this as it may, when | learned that Ma
jor Anderson had left Fort Moultrie and pro-
ccedcd to Fort Sumter, my first rromptings
were 20 command him to return to his former
position, ard there to await the contingencies
presented in his instructions, This would
only have been done, with any degree of safe
ty to the command, by the concurrence of the
South Carolina authorities. But before any
steps could possibly have been taken in this
direction, we received information that the
Palmetto flag noated out to the breeze at
Castle Pinckncy, and large military force
went over last night (thc 27th) to Fort Moul-
tric"
Thus, the authorities of South Carolina,
without waitngor asking for any explanations,
and, doubtless, believing as you have express
ed it, that the officer had acted not only with
out, but against my orders, on the very next
day after the night when the removal was
made seized by military force two of the
three Federal forts in the harbor of Charles
ton, and have covered thcm under their own
flag, instead of that of the United States.
At this gloomy period of our history, startling
events succeed each other rapidly.
On the very day, the 9th instant, that pos
session of these two forts was taken, the Pal
metto flag was raised over the Federal Gus
tom House and Postoflicc in Charleston, and
on the same day every officer of the Customs
Collector, Naval Officer, Surveyor and APP
praiser-rcsigncd their Offices. And this, al
IL was WeiI Known from Cnc language
of my Message that, as an Executive officer,
felt myself bound to collect the revenue at
the port of Charleston under the existing
laws. In the harbor of Charleston we now
find three forts confronting each other, over
all of which tho Federll flag foatcd only four
days ago; but now, over two of them this
flag has been supplanted and the Palmetto
flag has been substituted in its stead
1t Is under all these circumstances that /
am urged Immediately to withdraw the troops
from the harbor of Charleston, and am inform
ed without this negotiation is impossible
This L cannot do; this | will not do. Such
an idea was never thought of by me in any
possible contingency. No allnsion had been
made in any communication between myself
aud any human being. But the inference is,
that am bound to withdraw the troops from
the only fort remaining in the possession of
the United States, in the harbor of Charles
ton, because the officer there in commend of
all the forts, thought proper, without instruc-
tions, to change his position from one of them
to another.
At this point of the writing have rcccv-
cd information by telegraph, from Captain
Humphreys IN command of the Arsenal at
Charleston, that "ithas to-day (Sunday, the
30th,) been taken by force Of arms" It is
estimated that the munitions of war belong.
ing to the United States in this Arsenal arc
worth half a million of dollars.
Comment is needless After this infor-
nation, have only to add, that whilst it is