The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1861-06-13
How Sumter vvas E'rovlssoaed.

The traitor Floyd took great pains TO
put the United States fort in Charleston
harbor into the hands OF the South Caro-
linians, without expense of men or money.
For this purpose he refused the constant
entreaties Of Col. Gardner, the officer in
| command of Fort Moultrie, for troops
just at the time the danger was becoming
imminent, he sent, instead Of soldiers for
defence, body of laborers, who, under
the direction OF an engineer, were ordered
to repair the fort in such way and at
such time as to render the fort defense
less against the Seceders. These laborers
were to be fed from the supplies at the
fort. This made it necessary to purchase
provisions in Charleston from week to
week, so that in the event Of seige the
garrison would be starved out in few
days. BY desperate efo1ts the repairs
were finished in such way that the forty
five men in the fort could make some de
fence, but being dependent on Charleston
for food, the South Carolinians and Floyd
we'll knew that the fort was completely in
their power whenever they should see fit
to cut off the supplies from the city.
In this dilemma, Col. Gardner practiccd
the piece OF strategy which finally enabled
Anderson to hold the fort and make his
defence Col. @. wrote to an old friend,
the Chief Of the Commissary Department,
to send him provisions for one hundred
men for six months, at the same time sig
nifcantly limiting to him that he could
obey this requisition in the ordinary dis
crctionary routine OF his duty, without
consulting with the Secretary OF War
He added also the further request that
the transport should be ordered to land
her cargo at Fort Moultfie immediately
on her arrival in the harbor, and before
she should go to Charleston. The patri-
otic commissary officer, Col. Taylor, the
brother Of the late President Taylor, un-
derstood the hint conveyed, and the reason
for it, and took the responsibility of acting
out Col Gardeners requisition The pro-
visions were thus safely landed at Fort
Moultrie, the traitorous Secretary being
not a whit wiser for the operation. These
were the provisions which, gradually car
ried over to Fort Sumter in the engineers
boats, supported Major Anderson and his
gallant command during the memorable
seige. Floyd, not knowing the ruse which
had been played upon him by Col Gard
ner, expected every day that hunger would
do the business for the little garrison,
which he had intended to hand over
bound hand and foot to the enemy.
While these matters were going on,
Floyd sent down young officer to look
after the carrying out Of his plans, and to
represent to Col. c., by various indirect
processes, the Secretary's idea of an Off
GERS duty In command at Fort Mouitrie
Col Gardner had reported to the Secre-
tary that though he had but one man for
each gun, he was determined to defend
the place to the utmost against whatever
force may be sent against 1t. Floyd's spy
found Col. G5rdner's men at work night
and day, adding to the defenses of the
place He found even the brick quarters
within the fort loopholei for a stand with
musketry, in case Of an escalade by a
sudden rush OF large number Of men,
All this was evidently directly the oppo-
site of the Secretary's policy, as was rep
resented in various indirect ways by the
officer whom he had sent. lie was shown
all the preparations for a desperate defense
which Col Gardner had made, and was
told that they would be used against any
force which should march from Charles
ton, as soon as they came within range Of
the guns. He was, moreover, requested
to tell the Secretary all that he had seen
and heard The consequence was that
the commandant, disposed to do his duty
too aceU, was suspended, and an officer of
Kentucky birth, who had married in
Georgia, was put in command.
From Major Anderson's birth and con-
nections, Floyd evidently supposed that
he had obtained plant tool for his pur-
poses. A few days observation convinced
Major Anderson that he had been sent
there to sacrifice his honor, and that he
could save it only by carrying out the
desperate measures Of defence already be-
gun by Col Gardner. The retreat to
Fort Sumter, its repair, its seige, and
bombardment, were the natural sequel
All those events, so important already in
history, turned upon the ruse by which
Col. Gardner's requisition for provisions
was met by Col. Taylor and kept secret
from Floyd This is a scrap of history
worth remembering, and we may add that
| it is given on the best authority.