The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-01-18

ces Of artillery, under command of Lieut..
Hamilton, recently. resigned from the navy.
Ihey had stationed these between Fort
Sumter and Fort Moultrie, to cruise around
ana prevent any attempt to transfer the
garrison, but Anderson foiled them. He
carried out bis project with consummate
ability. He talked for week Of the abso-
lutte necessity Of sending the women and
children tothe village Of Fort johnson for
safety. There is an old dilapidated public
building there, in which be proposed to put
them until the battle was over. !. He char.
tered three lighters to carry them and their
baggage, and be added everything to the
cargo he could without exciting suspicion,
The Charlestonians did not wish to interfere
with the transit of provisions to Capt, Eos.
ter's men at Fort Sumter, because they re.
garded him as in reality finishing the work
ior them. This he was actually doing,
through the neglect of the administration.
Under pretense of sending him provisions,
Major Anderson sent over q large amount
OF bis stores. Thus disembarrassed, be was
ready for move. 5ri Y,se. gle 'l.5as
The schooners, with the camp women and
children, had orders to sail from Fort John.
son to Fort Sumpter upon hearing two cam
mons fired at Fort Moultrie- signal that
the evacuation of the fort had been com.
pleted. he then gave orders to the men to
pack their knapsacks, and hold themselves
IN readiness at all times, as they might,
some day, have to move. He took one of
his officers aside about P. M, on the 25th,
and told him in about twenty minutes he
should make the attempt to reach Fort
Sumpter. The attempt was dangerous
one. Two steamboats, lay off the fort with
troops and guns, and these boats would
have run him down in moment, had they
been aware of the movement. Major An
derson left orders to fire into the Nina
steamboat, if she molested his men, and
thirty.twO-pounder was loaded up for that
purpose Fort Moultrie is always sur.
rounded by paid spies and members of the
vigilance committee, but they did not in
terfere, and probably did not understand
what the command was doing. The troops
sprang into the boats and the men pulled
with will. Half way the hostile steam
boat approached rapidly with a ship in tow.
1t was glorious moonlight night, and very
clear. The steamboat passed within hun
dred yards, but probably took the boats to
contain workmen returning from Fort Sum.
ter. Sumter was reached at last in safety.
An exclamation of surprise came from the
bricklayers on the wharf One of them
shouted, " Hurrah for the Union" He was
hurried in and made to keep quiet. In the
meantime the officers who remained in Fort
Moultrie held the lanyards of the guns in
their hands ready to fire upon the steam.
boat, if it molested the boats. The boats
were sent back. The remainder of the
command embarked and reached Sumter in
safety, though one boat passed almost un-
der the bow OF the Nina. The movement
was accomplished, and Charleston was at
the feet of the gallant major. The chagrin
OF the people in the city was intense, They
had counted on this stronghold as their own,
and the table had been completely turned
on them. With the exception of coal and
firewood, believe everything of any i'm
portance was brought ever.