Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-05-30
THE BOMBARDMENT OF FORT SUM-
TER.
The London Times Correspondence Opinion
AbOutIg

The London Times Correspondenrs Opinion
AbouiII
The bombardmeEt of Fort Sumter has be-
come, through the great number of descrip-
tiOGs given Of it, rather tiresome and unin-
teresting subject, but the letter of Mr.. Russell,
the distinguished correspondent of the London
Times, dated at Charleston on the 2lst Of April,
reners 1t under some new and interesting
aspects. Mr.. Russell, it will be seen, does not
regard the reduction of the Fort as an achieve
ment of any Importance, and expresses the
confident belief that if Major Anderson had
had sufficient force within the Fort, and been
properly supplied with munitions and ap-
pliances of war, he would have been able to
silence the batteries on Morris Island, to have
burnt up Fort Moultrie and made a successful
defence of Fort Sumter. We annex some in
teresting extracts from Mr.. RUSSELL s letter:
CAPTURE OF TIE FORT OF SMALL VALUE IN A
MILITARY SENSE.
find some consolation for the disappoint-
ment of not arriving in time to witness the
attack upon Fort Sumter in describing the
condition Of the work soon after Major Ander-
son surrendered it. Already have upon my
table pamphlet entitled 'The Battle of Fort
Sumter and First Victory of the Southern
Troops" &c, several poems" and variety
Of versicules, songs, and rhetorical exercita-
tions upon this event, which, however import
ant as a political demonstration, is of small
value in military sense, except in so far as
the blOOdlsss occupation Of a position COM
Inanding Charleston hsrbor is concerned 1t
may tend TO prevent any false impressions
founded on imperfect informa aton to state a
few facts connected with the fire in the work
and its effects which will interest, at least,
some military readers.
In the frat place, it may be well to admit
that the military preparations and positions of
the South Carolinians were moro formidable
than ono was prepared to expect on the part
Of q small State, without any considerable in
ternal organization or resources. This COM
parative efficiency was due mainly to General
Besuregard and mis- assistant engineer, Major
Whiting, who are both professional engineer
officers Of the United States Army, and who
had capacity and influence enough to direct
the energies of the undisciplined masses in the
proper direction, instead of allowing them to
rush on their fate in the perilous essay of an
esca!ade, as they intended. The State of
South Carolina had for long time past been
accumulating arms and munitions of war, and
II may be said that ever since the nullifca-
tion contest she had permitted herself to
dwell on the idea of ultimate secession, to be
effected by force if necessary. When General
Beauregard and Major Whiting came hero the
works intended to resist the fleet and to crush
the fort were in a very imperfect state. Major
Anderson and his officers had true profes-
sional contempt for the batteries of the civil
lsns and militianen, which was in some mea-
sure Justifable. One morning, however as
they made survey of their enemy's labors for
the previous night, they perceived q change
had come over the design Of their works
That some one who knows his business is
eTer there" was evident. Their str ange rela-
tlonsnip with those who were preparing to
destroy them if possible, however, prevented
their recourse to the obvious means which
were then in abundance in their hands to
avert the ceming danger.
WHAT MAJOR ANDERSON MIGHT HAvB DONE II
ORDERED.
Had Major Anderson maintained a we'll
regulated fire on the enemy the moment they
began to throw up their batteries and prepare
Fort Moultrio against him, he could have
made their progress very slow and exceeding
ly labOrious, and have marked it at every step
with blood. His command over the ground
was very decided, but he had it is supposed.
no authority to defend himself in the only
way ii which il could be doae. ''Too late''.
that fatal phrase-was the echo to every order
which came from the seat of Government at
Washington. Meantime the South Carolinians
worked at their batteries, and were soon able
to obtain cover on the sandy plains on which
they were planting their guns and mortars
They practised their men at the guns, stacked
shot and shell, and furnished their magazines
and drilled their raw leyies with impunity
within l,400 yards Of the fort We all know
what impunity is worth in offensive demon
stratiOns. 1t is powerful agent sometimes
unteers flOcksd to the various companies, or
created new associations of armed men, and
the Heterogeneous and motley mass began to
assume some resemblance to an army, how
ever irregular. At the present moment
Charleston is like a place in the neighbor-
hood OF camp where military and volunteers
tailors are at work trying experiments in uni
forms, and sending in their animated models
for inspection. There is On endless variety
often of ugliness-in dress and equipment and
nomenclature among these companies. The
head-dress is generally, however, q smart cap
like the French kept; the tunic is of different
cuts, colors, facings, and materials-green
with grey and yellow, gray with orange and
black and white, blue with white and yellow
facings, roam, brown, burnt sienna and olive
jackets, frocks, tunics, blouses, cloth linen,
tweed, flannel. The officers are generally in
blue frocks and brass buttons. with red sashes
the rank being indicated by gold lace paral-
kilograms on the shoulder straps, which are
like those In use in the Russian army. The
arms Of the men seem tolerably well kept and
in good order. Many, however still shoulder
White Bess"-the old smoOth-bore musket
with unbrowned barrel.
PHYSIQUE OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA TROOPS.
The phystqNe Of the troops is undeniably
good. Now and then undersized weakly mon
may be met with, but the great majority of the
companies consist Of rank and file exceeding
the average stature Of Europeans, and very
we'll built and muscular. The men run very
large down here. Nothing, indeed, can be
more obvious when one looks ut the full grown,
healthy, handsome race which developes itself
IN the streets, in the bar-rooms, and In the ho-
tel halls, than the error of the argument,
which is mainly used by the CaroIinians them
selves, that white men cannot thrive in their
State. In limb, fgurs, hight, weight, they
are equal to any people have ever seen, and
their features are very regular and pronounc-
ed. They are, indeed, as unlike the ideal
American Of our caricsturists and our stage az
Is the " nsfIor" Of the PorteiSt. Martin to the
English gentleman. Some OF this superiority
is due to the fact that the bulk Of the white
population here are In all but name aristo-
Gratis, or rather oligarchs. The State is but a
gigantic Sparta, in which the helotry are mark
ed by an indelible difference Of color and race
from the masters. The white population which
is not land and slave holding and agricultural
is very small and very Insignificant. The mas
ters enjoy every advantage which can cohduce
70 the physical excellence Of people and to
the cultivation Of the grsces and accomplish