Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1861-04-18
The Battle of Fort Sumter.
rFROM THE CHARLESTON COURIER J

made demand on Major Anderson for th'
immediate surrender of Fort Sumter
through his Aids, Col. James Chestnut, Jr.
Col. Chi5olm aud Capt. Lee. Major An
derson replied that such course would b.
inconsistent with the duty he was required
By his Government to perform. The answe
was communicated by the General.in. Chic
toPresident Davis.
At about 9 o'clock, General Beauregart
received a reply from President Davis, b!
which he was instructed to inform Majo
Anderson that if he would evacuate the for
he held when his present supply of provis
ions was exhausted, there would be no ap
peal to arms. This proposition was borne It
Major Anderson by the aids who delivered
the first message, aud he refused to accep
the condition. The General-in- Chief forth
with gave the order that the batteries b.
opened at halfpast four o'clock on Frida.
morning. Major Anderson's reply was de
cisive of the momentous question, and Gen
Beauregard determined to apply the las
argument.
The stout soldier had resolved to make s
desperate defence, and the bloody trial o.
strength must be essayed. The sword mus
cut asuuder the last tie that bound US to {
people, whom, in spite of wrongs and iujus
tice wantonly inflicted through a long Sc.
ries of years, We had not yet utterly hated
and despised The last expiring spark ot
affection must be quenched iu blood. Some
of the most splendid pages in our glorious
history must be blurred. A blow must be
struck that would make the ears of every
Republican fanatic tingle, and whose dread
full effects will be felt by generations yet tc
come We must transmit heritage oi
ranking and undyipg hate to our children.
The crisis had arrived, and we were ful'
ly prepared to meet it. The work that a,
waited the morrow was of momentous
character, but we had counted the cost,
and had resolved TO do it or die in the at,
tempt.
At the gray of the morning of Friday the
roar of cannon broke upon the ear. The
expected sound was answered by thousands.
The houses were in few minutes emptied
of their excited occupants, and the living
stream poured through all the streets lead
ing to the wbarves and battery.
. At thirty minutes past four o'clock the
conflict was opened by the discharge of a
shell from the howitzsr battery on james
Island, under the command of Capt. Geo.
S. James, who followed the riddled Pal.
metto banner on the bloody battle fields Of
Mexico.
The sending of this harmful messenger
to Major Anderson was followed by deaf.
euing explosion, which was caused by the
blowing up of building that stood in front
of a battery.
While the white smoke was melting away
into the air, another shell, which Lieut.. w.
Hampton Gibbes has the honor of having
fred, pursued its noiseless way toward the
hostile fortifcation.
The honored missive described its beau.
tiful carve through the balmy air, and fal-
ling within the hostile fortress, scattered
its deadly contents il all directions. Fort
Moultrie then took up the tale of death,
and in moment the guns from the redoubt-
able Gun Battery on Cummings Point,
from Captain McCready's battery, from
Capt. James Hauiltou's floating battery,
the inflade battery, and other Notifications,
spit forth their wrath at the grim fortress
rising so defantly out of the sea.
Major Anderson received the shot aud
shell in silence. But the deepening twi-
light revealed the Stars and Stripes float
ing proudly in the breeze. The batteries
continued at regular intervals to belch iron
vengeance, and still no answer was return
ed by the foe. About an hour after the
booming began, two balls rushed Kissing
through the air, and glanced harmless from
the succeed bricks of Fort Monltrie. The
embrasures of the hostile fortress gave forth
no sound again till between six and seven
o'clock, when, as if wrathful from enforced
delay, from easement and parapet the Uni
ted States officer poured storm of iron
hail upon Fort Moultrie, Stevens Iron Bat
terry and the Floating Battery. The broad
side was returned with spirit by the gallant
gunners at these important posts. The
firing now began in good earnest.
A boat bearing dispatches to General
Beauregard from Morris Island, reached
the city about nine o'clock. reported that
all the batteries were working admirably !;
that no one was injured, and that the men
were wild with enthusiasm.
A short time after that happy news was
received, the schooner Petrol from Hog
Island Channel, reported that the shot from
Stevens Iron Battery had told upon the
walls of Fort Sumter. And also that Fort
Moultrie had sustained no damage
About half. past nine o'clock, Capt R. S.
Parker reported from Sullivan's Island to
Mount Pleasant that everything was in fine
condition at Fort Moultrle, and that the
soldiers had escaped unhurt.
The same dispatch stated that the EN-
brasures of the Floating Battery were un-
damaged by the shock Of the shot, and
though that formidable structure had been
struck eleven times, the balls had not start
ed single bolt. Anderson had conceutra.
ted bis fire upon the Floating Battery, and
the Dalgreu Battery, under command Of
Lieutenant Hamilton. A number of shells
had dropped in'o Fort Sumter, and one
gun epbarbette had been dismounted.
The following cheering tidings were
brought to the city by Col. Edmund Yates,
Acting Lieutenant to Dozier, Of the Con
federate States Navy, from Fort johnson
Stevens Battery and the Floating Battery