Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1861-04-26
BEDFORD INQUIRER.

we're destroyed bg tic FIRE, thus leaving us ex-
posed 70 the nurderous fire Of the eneIny.-
Five hundred men could have formed on the
gorge and marched on US without cur being
able to oppose them The FIRE surrounded the
Fort on all sides. Fearful that the walls
might crack, aud the shells pierce aud PROSTATE
them, We commenced taking the powder out Of
the magazine befoTe the fire bad fully envelop-
ed it. We took 96 barrels OF powder out, and
threw it into the sea, leaving 200 barrels in.
Owing to lack of cartridges we kept five
nen Inside The magazine, sewing as we wanted
them, thus uslBg up our shirts, sheets, blank
cts, aud all the available material 10 The fort.
When We were finally obliged to close the
magazine, aud our material for cartridges was
exhausted, We were left destitute of any
means to continue The contest. We had eaten
our last biscuit ihiftg six hours before. We
came very near being stifed with the dense
liVid suioke from the burning boldings. Tue
men lay PROSTATE GU the ground. with wet
handkerchefs over their laouths aud eyes, gasp
ing for breath. 1t was moment of imminent
peril. Ii an eddy Of wind had not ebsued,
We ali, probably, should have been saffocated
The crashing OF the shot, the bursting Of the
shells, the falling OF walls, and the roar Of the
! tllmes, made paudenonium Of the fort. We
nevertheless kept up steady fire Toward
the close OF the day ex-senator Wigfall made
his appear nee at the embrasure with white
handkerchief On the eud OF sword, aud beg
ged foi admittance He askad to see Mai.
Anderson. Whio Wigfall was in the act Of
crawling through the embFasnre, Lieut. SNYDER
called oot to him, ".ioj. Anderson is at the
liain gate" lie passed through the embrasure
la'o the casemate, paying no attention to shat
the Lieuteuant bad SAID. Here he was met by
Oipt. Foster, Lieut.. Mead, and Lieut.. Davis
lie said 81 WISH to see Major Anderson
am Gsn. NgiaIl, and come from Gen. Beaure-
gard"
lie then added, in an excited manaer, Let
us stop this fripg. You are on fire, aad your
dag is down. Letus quit
Lieut.. Davis replied, '.No, Sir, our f1e is
| not down. STEP out here aud you will see il
waving over tie rampaIt, -
"Let Us quit his said Wigfall "Here's
a white iag, viii anybody slge il cut OF ibo
eIlbra>uro -
one Of the Ulcers replied. That's for you
to 20, ii you choose"
y igfuIl responded, ''if there is no one else
to do it, will, and jumping into The enbra-
sure waved The fAg iosard Nloulrie. The
hrlug stil continued tem Moutre and The
batteries OF Sulligans Island. la answer 10
his repeated requests Que Of the .fi.ers sad
one Of our rneu may bold he Il 40. anf eorrorsi
BingluFst juDped luto be cnbrasare. The
sbai continuing TO strike al around him be
J9Bpcd down again, after having waived the
hlg few moments, and seid, ssDsnn il, they
dou't respect this asg, they arc filing 1t II"
Hisfal replied, "fhey dred at me tgo or
threo times, sud | stood it, and should think
that you might stand il oace.''
Wigfall then said, ''If you will show white
dag from yoar rampatts, they viii cease firing. "
Lieut.. Davis replied, "If you request that
flag shall be shown there While you bold
conference with NJ jor Anderson, aud for that
purpose alone, il may be done'
At this point Msjor Anderson came up.-
Wigf4ll said, Il Gen. WigfaH, and come
from Gen. Beapregari, who wishes to stop
this ,
Major Anderson, rising on his toes, and
coming down firmly upou bis heels replied,
"Well, Sir"
"Major Anderson" said Wigfall, "you have
defended your flag nobly, SIR. You have done
all that Is possible for men to do, and Gen.
be~urcgard wishes tn stop the fight. On
what terms, Major Anderson, viii you evacuate
this For 90
Major Anderson's reply was, "Geu. Beau
regard is already acquainted with my only
terms
"Do understand that you will evaouate
upon the terms proposed the other day %
''Yes, sir, aud those conditions only'' was t
the reply of the Major.
''Fhen, Sir" said Wigfal, 81 understand |
Major Anderson that the fort is to be ours ~
Goa those conditions only, repeat.p
'.Fery, we'll" said Wigfall, and hs retired. I
short time atterward dsputation con- /
slsting Of Senator Chesnut, Roger A.. Pryor, !
Capt. Lae, and W. Porcher Miles, came from /
Gen. B., aud bad an interview with MAi An- |
dersou, when it came out that Wigfall had 20 |
sAulbority to speak for Gen Beauregard, hut
acted on bis own hook" 'srben," said Lieut..
Da7is, Eve have been sold, and Nlior Anaer- (
son, parCeiying the state Of the ease, ordered .
the American fag 10 b. raised to its place.
TIE deppia'ioa, however, requested him 10 |
keep The flag down TIL they could communioate
With Gen. Beauregard, as matters we're liable |
TO be complicated. They leff, and between
two and three hours aftcr, the garrison mean
while exsrting them ewes to extingaish the
TIE, another deputaiion came from Gsn. Bean
regard, agreeing to the terms of evacuation
previously proposed, and substantially 70 the
proposals Of Wigfall. This was Saturday
evening. TIA uight the garrison took waa,
rest they coall Nexi morning the 'lsabei
came down and anchored near the fort. The
steamer Gineh was used as transport to take
tho gsrrisoo to the lsibeI, but the transfer was
too late to allow the Isabel to go cut by that
tide,
The terms Of evacuation we're that the gar
r'son should take all rs inliyidual aud conpa-
ny property, that they should march out win
their side aud other arms with all the honors,
IN tAeir own way aud At their Own ,ime, tdar
they should oalnte their & 9, and take It VIA