Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-05-10
OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE
OF FORT STMTEE.
HEADQcAkTERs PROVISIONAL j. C. 5,

loving summary statement Of thu cr'cu4
s.ances oi ,hr surrender Of Fort Som.c.:
On the refusal Of Major Anderson 20 en-
gage, IN compliance with n,y demand, to de.
siSnato the tim. " hen ne would cvacmatc EGrt
Sumter, and to asrec meantime not to ,se his
guns against u7, 1T twenty minutes past taree
o'clock on the morning OF the l2in ins:. !
gave him formal notice that within ore hour ny
batteries would open on him. In consequence
Of some circumstance Of delay. the boTT5a!i.
ment was not begun precisely at the appointed
moment and at thirty minutes past four clock
the signal gun was fred, and within twenty
minutes all our batteries were in full play
There was no response froI Fort Srrntpr until
ahou. seven O'clock, when the first shot from.
the enemy was discharged against cur ba,tr.
ries on Cummings Point.
BY eight O'clock the action BECAME general.
and throughout the day was maintained wilh
spi:i. nn both sides. Our guns We're ser:td
with spirit aud energy. The effect was visible
! in the impressions made on the walls nf Sum.
| tcr. From ouT mortar batteries shells were
thrown witn such precision and -apidi.; that
il sooa became impossible Cor the en"I:y 70
employ his guns IN Ja,jeAe, OF which several
were hismyunted The engagement vas cen.
tiaued, without unv circumstance Of spcca!
note, until nightfali, hrfpre which time tie sirc
frou, Sumter had evidently sackened. Opc-
/ rationS en- our SIDE were sustained throughout
the night, provoking, however, only feeble
| response
! On the morning of the lS:h the action vas
| prosecuted with renewed vigCr, and about
thirty minutes past seven oclock, il was dis.
coverrd our shells had set fire to the barracks
| in the fort. As s0on rs volumes Of smoke
were seen urisng FROM the fort, indicating an
extensive cnnf,gratiou, and, agPrchcnding
| soEnc teTrihse calamity to the garrison, I'nme.
diately dispatched an oiEcr Of assistance TO
Major Anderson, which, however, with grace
ful Acknowledgements, he declined Mean
time, being informed, about two oc:ocH, thata
white tlag was displayed from Sumter, dis
patched two Of my Aids to Major Anderson
with terms Of evacuation In recognition Of
the gallaniry exhibited by the garrison, cheer
fully agreed THAT on surrendering the fort, the
commanding officer might salute his flag.
BY eight o'clock the terms OF evacuation
were definitely accepted Major Anderson
having expressed a desire TO communicate with
the United States vessels lying OF the harbor,
with view to arrange for the transportation
of the command 10 some port in the United
Captain IIartstcine and three Of my Aids, was
permitted to visit tho ctice,s in command Of
the squadron, 10 make provision for that OBJ.
ject. Because Of an unavoidable delay, :!e
formal transfer Of the fort to our Possession did
no! take place until four o'clock in the after.
noon OF the I4lh inst. At that hour, the place
having been evacuated BY The United States
garrison, our troops occupied it, and the Con
iederate flag was hoisted on the ramparts Of
Sumter, with salute from the various bate
ries.
The steamer Isabel having been placed at
the service OF M2jor Anderson, he and his
command were transferred tc tue vessels rff
the harbor. The urgency Of immediate en-
gagemcnts prevents me from giving at present
more circumstnn,ial narrative Of the incidents
connected with the capture of For. Sumter
When the reports from the various Command.
ere Of all the batteries are received | vii! las
ten 10 forward y0r & more dett il i account.
Ii Conclusion. am happy to state that the
,roOps. both officers and soldiers, Of the rcSn
lars, volunteers and militia and navy, ty tier
cpGrSy. Zeal, neTsesera:.cr, labor and eE!Hrarcc
gaantry during lis coulinuAnCe rXlia.te;. al
the characteristics CT TIC best soldiers; and to
my Staff. regular and volunteer, am r!u;!'
indebted FOR ;he prompt and complete czscu
tion OF my orders which had tG BIZ con;Du-
nicat.d in open boats during the bc:a'
bardmcnt TO the CilTu:ent batteries then c;!
gsgcd-
remain, sir. very respectfully,
Your obcdiert servant,
G. T. GEAUREGARD,
Brigadier.Gcneral Commencing.
Hon. L. p WaLKEI, Secretary CT War,
Montgomery, Ala
HEADQUARTERS PROVISIONAL Army c. s,
Charleston, S. G., April eth, leGl.
Ion. L. T. Hulks-, !Stcreta,yJ IFar, Mont.
gomery -1la.
SIR IL have the honor 10 transmit TO the
Department. with this, my detailed report o!
the operations conducted during the honihaId.
lncnt Of Fort Sumter, accompanied by copies
Of the reports sen: in 10 this tilice by Tie
Commanders of the batteries, together With a
series of photographs, twenty Two in number,
allowing the condition OF Forts Sumter an1
! Mouire and Of the F:oltng Battery Giter the
surrender Of the former Fort.
have the honor 20 be,
! Very respectfully,
Your obedent servant,
! G. 7. BEAUREGAnD.
Brigadier.Gencro Commanding.
HEADQUARTERS PROVISIONAL ANHY
Charleston, S. C., April 81, laal.i
Brig. Gen. Cooper, .ddjutant-Generai c. 5. A.:
SIR:-I have the horror to submit the lnl
! inUin, detailed renort Of the Bombardinr,,t t