The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1861-01-03
Eyacuation of Fort Moultrie.

Fort Moultrie and Sumter. AS early as eight
o'clock in the afternoon the rumors of the des-
truction of the former Of these military posts,
and the occupation of the latter by the forces Of
the United States, were circulated. 1t was at
Grst currently reported and believed that Fort
Woultric lad been laid in ruins, that the guns
were sniked and the carriages, &C., together with
the barracks, burned, and that the post had been
entirely abandoned. The reports spread like
Wild FIRE. and soon gained currency in every part
of the city. Crowds of citizens anxiously In
ouircd of each other the latest intelligence In Te-
alton to the affair; squads collected on every
corner of the streets, and IN iron, OF the puplc
resorts. to canvass the subject.
The newspaper Offices were besieged the hotel
halls were thronged, and even the grave and seri-
Gus gentlemen composing the State Convent1on
shared in the general excitement. On all hands
onrcr and indignation were expressed ct the sup,
noscd ncrGdious conduct of the Federal authori-
tics at whose instance it was at first thought the
movement was made. The people were greatly
nccnsed at the idea OF witu oreacn Oh .nose
assurances of non-act;on which had been voiu1,
tccrcd by the Government at Washington, and
unon which so much reliance and confidence nad
been placed by the entire population, that every
impulse to take the necessary precautions Tor tner
own safety had been restrained. .sF..
Instinctivcly men flew to arms.
All the military forces ordercds out promptly
obcycl the summons, and the streets were soon r
culiyencd by the appearance of individual mem
hers of the different organizations in their uui-s
forms. -,
Abou: noon the excitement in the streets had
attained the highest pitch. The Convention was
known to be in secret concaye, and 1t was be-
licvcd that this the subject matter oi their
deliberations The streets swarmed with people.
Additional flags were displayed from the stores
and hosscs on the principal streets. The Gus
lor House and other buildings formerly in the
possession of the United States Government dis
nlayod the bunting Of the infant Republic OF
South Carolina Every one looked upon the
war as actually begun and all seemed to feel
that their brethren were in the held, and them
selves began to grow restless at the prospect Oh
inactivity and suspense
Later in the day, however, the excitement was
soncwhat a5a.ed. when il became khewn that tho
movement on thc part of the forces OF the oHited
States at Fort aioultrie not 1t the instance OF
tlc Administration ut Washington, but WAS merely
a precautionary measure taken by Commander Ar-
derson under conviction that his posi.ion within
tie orireas on Sullivans Island would not be tena-
bic. if attacked in it by well-organized and dIs-
cnlined troops The contradiction OF the trst re-
norts in relation to the damage done the fort by
the troops that had evacuated it also had tenden-
cy to allay the excitement of,the occasion
FORT SUMTER As OCCUPIED.
Tn or,la- to ascertain truthful statements Of TIC
actual damage done to the Forts, Of the causes Oh
the movement, ard OF thc statc CT ascirs gener-
aliy. Reporters were dispatched to the scene
during the forenoon. On the sway across the
harho:. the hosting of an American flag from the
staff of Fort Sumter, at precisely II o'clock gave
certain indication that the stronghold vas occu-
pied by the troops of the United States. On q
approach, the fortress was discovered to be
occupied, the guns appeared to be mounted, and
sentines were discovered on duty, and the place
to give every sign of occupancy and military dis
cipne. The grim fortress frowncd defiance on
every sidc-ihc busy notes OF preparation re-
sounded through its forbiddng fetessas, and eve
rything secmiG TO indicate the utmost aiacrity In
the work on Land
FORT SouLrRlE ASD IFS coNDrffos, o.
Turning towards Fort Moultrie, q dense cloud
of smoke wasseen to pour from the end facing
the sea- Thctlag-s -slaf was down, and the whole
place had an air of desolaton and abandonment
quite the rev.rse of its busy look one week ago,
When scores Of hborcrs were engaged in adding
10 its strength all the works which skill and expo
rience could suggest. ..s.,.
In the Immediate vicinity Of the rcer or land-
side cntrane, however, greater activity was no.
ticable. Atthe time Of our visit, o large force
of hands hal been summoned to deliver up their
implements for transportation to Fort Sumter.
Around on very side were the evidences Oh labor
in the fortication of the work In many places
portion o the dcfences were strengthened by
every appliance that art could suggest or ingenuity
devise While, in others, the uncompletcd works
gave evdeges of the utmost confusion. On oil
hands the process Of removing goods, furniture
and munitions, yet going on. The heavy
crns upon nc r;.mpars Of the Fort were thrown
down from their carriages and spiked Every
ounce of glnpowder and every cartridge had been
removed frim the magazines and, in fact, every
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coutrement and other munitions of war, had
been rcmsed off and deposited-nothing but
heavy ballsand useless cannon remained.
The entie place was to all appearances litter
ed up withthe odd ends and fragments of wars
desolation. Confusion could not have been more
complete lad the late occupants retired in the
face of icsicging foe. Fragments of gun car
riages, Sc broken to pieces bestrewcd the RAM
parts. Sad bags, and barrels filed with earth,
crowned tls walls, and were firmly imbedded in
their bomhproof surface as ar additional safe
guard-an notwithstanding the heterogeneous
scattering If materials and implements, the walls
of the forteyinccd o vague degree of energy in
preparing for an attack. A ditch some fifteen
feet wide nd about the same in depth surrounds
the entireEall on three sides. On the south side,
OF front, aglacis has been commenced and prose-
cuted neay to completion, with q rampant Of
sand bags barrels, SC.
On one idc of the fort palisado of palmetto
logs is exsnded around the ramparts as COM
plete defecc against escaladng party. New
ombrasurs have been cut in the walls. so as to
command the faces of the bastions anC ditch.
These ney defences are all incomplete and are
evdencesof the haste with which they were erec-
ted COpidering the inferior force, in point Of
numbers, under his command, Major Anderson
had pad,lrticular attention to strengthening only
small It of the fort.
A greer portion Of the labor expended was
spent upn the citadel or centre of the west point
of the potion. This he had caused to be strength
ened in very way loop-holes were cut and eve
rvtLinr,as 50 arranged, that in case wel-con-
certed tack was made he would have retired
from 'front.' tn outer bastions 70 the citadel, and after
wards ward low up the other portions of the fort. For
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