The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-01-06
THE CRISIS.


s..,.. =, commander Anderson under conviction maj
N rsiton within the fortress on Sullivan isna o
SSinlinod troops Tho contradiction Of thu hrs rep rs
: relation damage done the fort by the roo' that
had evacuated IL also had tendency 10 aay W. excite
'"''' = - ROM SUMTER AS OCCUPIED
In order 10 truthful statement OF the actual
damage done the forts, OF the cav es OF the move
sneot and Of the state OF anays generally re-
1oers ws on ne way across ,he harSor the ho
tng Of American flag from ~ staff Of Fort stump
s ,hht tn ,ronghol was oeeupied by he troons .,
the United states On me- approach the fortress
discovered 70 be oessr' the grns appeared to be
mounted sennes woT discovered duty, and the
place 10 give every slgp Of occupancy and military dis
spline The grim fort iess frowned defiance every
se The busy notes OF preparation resounded through IL
she utmost aaority IN the work on hand
VOLT GUTHRIE AND rs coNpnlos
seen to pour from the end facing the The flag
siaa down. and the whole place had al- Of doso
Asiou and abandonment quite the Of busy
weeg ago when scores Of laborers engaged
N adding 20 its strength all the works ssn and espe
In the immediate vicinity Of the or land SIDE
nsyy was hsS a. ss
deliver up their implements for transportation 10 Fort
s1nPser Around on every SIDE were Sns eydSnces
portion OF the defenocs we're strengthened by every
appliances that art could suggest or ingenuity deVfe
while others the uncope,ed works gave evidences
Of the utmost confusion On all hands the process Of
removing goods furniture and Munitions, yet going
thrown down from their carriages and spiked. Every
Of powder and every cartridge had been removed
arms, clothing, provisions accoutrements and other
Oitons Of war, had been removed of and deposited
nothing but heavy balls and useless cannon remained.
The entire place was, TO all appearances, Uttered up
with the odd ends snd fragments Of wars desoat on
bate occupants retired in the face Of besegng foe.
Fragments OF gun carriages, &c, broken 70
snd barrels flled with earth crowred tie
wake, and were firmly moedded IN Their bomb
pr0of surface, alb an additional safegrardand With
standing the heterogeneous scattering o. materials aud
Supplements, the walls Of the fort evnced vague degree
teen feet wide and about the depth, surrounds
1he entire wall three Sides On tho south side, or
front, glacs has been commenced and prosecuted
Tcis, &c.
on one side Of the fort Talisado OF palmetto logs %
extended around the rampar's as q complete defence
against escaladng party New embrasures bave been
cut m the walks 70 command the faces Of the bas
tOO6 and ditch. These desences all incomplete,
and evidence OF the haste with which they were
erected Considering the inferior force in point q rum
6ers, under his command Major Anderson had paid
scalar attention to strengthening only small part q the
greater portion Of the labor expended spent upor
he citadel or centre Of the west point Of the position
This he had caused TO be strengthened in every way;
AoOpboes cut and everything arranged that
well concerted alta IL made no would have
retired from the outer bastons to the citadel and after
wards blow up the other portions Of the For this
purpose mines had already been sprung Ind
Seen laid ready for the application Of the match The
rooms and every other part OF the fort that
hdefencible would have gone al a touch.
On the ramparts Of the fort fronting Fort Sumrter
nine eight inch Columbads, mounted wooden
sages. As the evacuation Of the fort
pete the carriages OF these guns were fred and at tho
and the guns thereby dismounted These guns as well
those constituting the entire armament OF The Fortress
spiked before IL abandoned. This g the only
damage done the tcation, further than outing down
the flagstaff and the breaking up OF ammunition wagons
70 form ramparts on the walls of the fort
EVACUATION.
The fort was found charge OF two ofc nrd
four men, who had been left behind merely nc. az
n yae
none but these were allowed TO enter.
From the officers in charge it was learned that the
evacuation OF the fort commenced little after shutdown
en- Wednesday evening The men we're ordered 70 ho,d
themselves in readiness, with knapsaeks packed, ~
notice but UP the moment Of trer le'v
had idea of abandoning the post. They were reviewed
parade and then ordered TO two schooners ng
n the vicinity, where they embarked, taking with them
all the neccssarcs, stores &c, requisite their eFaoaa
sson.
several trips made during the night and grea,
part y mo provisions and camp iurnttro @oro trens-
ported under cover or hight The brightness of me
moon, however, Afforded but slight conoealment 10 their
movements, and in one OF the trips Lieut. DAVIS ~ COM
mand schooner iull of soldiers aud baggage passed d.
rectly under TIE bow OF the guard boat Nina. Tie ON
who made the statement expressed himself 70 be 81
noran whether the watch on board tee Nina discovered
the movement or notat all events he sad they did not
signify any eognizailcc Of tho fact.
REASONS roR EyLcuiroS.
irom conversations held with the gentlemen .
tanned that the first imretus given 70 no work Of
strengthening the Tort 0as after The spceches of
Messrs Nagrath Nemmngcr and o.cere, when
fears aroused that the tme would shortly
come which would call Ito exercise the 80
of force 10 protesting the public property Upon ms ~
tho energies OF the officers and called forth 20
render tho position strong as possible AttacSa were
expected only from the land side and to Tho strengthen
ing Of points all the available force put Tho
6ccs expressed themclves 70 be able, after prorara
lion, SC. to make successful resistance against any
mot or undsc lined force against orranzo troops
the small garrison could make no stand
Major Anderson had been ordered TO nolo too fof -
protect the work and he intended 10 10 ! - every
hazard He denied that ether the esdert ~ Secretary
Of War Ind r+yon any orders for The evacuation 4 the
Ma Ard
bity, thinking that by such step nc would make he-
self against attack, protect the lives y hs sol
iers and could better guard the public property fer
his position Sumpter he could easily command,
md II ueoossary pleno tho batteries Of Fort Eourie
ccculAroS soCiIpu ~ SOUTH csoo''aA
TROOPS
At twenty minutes eight clock the troops hoard
sne Nina and t1nch landed the wharf u sul.i
Island. Rapidly forming, they proceeded under
.shs commapd &c so DeSaresure towards tho wells 81
Bort Noultre sergeant and ten men held possesson
Of the place. On the approach a Col. Dc-aussures
command the detachment Of United states 'roors re-
aired without offering any resistanee. -. 49,,
The gates not closed even. and iofty NANTES
hcsteamer touched the wharf the Palmetto flag
mounted hastily prepared staias the Original one
'sad been awaywas flung TO the breeze enid 'he
of the occupants Active preparat oos were in
The spiked guns and those snanted ~ ife burning o
abe carriages VIII soon be n position % respond 70
any hostile demonstration made against he place.
AT twelve clock ast night, when reporter e' the
island, all quet and Orderly serries pacing
tho rsmparts, and the hail Of "an well" resounaed at
regular intervals from the several pests
. At Castle Pinckney the same quiet prevailed ~ y he
hour ~ gong lhe srrltsa Ntstts-
~,on are active IN Their vigilance ard pereety cmro'
Z. tent 4 take OF themselves.
From the Charleston Mercury, Dc0. os)
Charleston yesterday morning thrown INTO state
the widest excitement by the that the tnitcd
States troops had been Transferred rom Fort Mo4luc
\. 20 Fort Sumpter. Al frst the tying rurors
numerous and cultrad Glory that j
Easy mat;er 60 get a. The truth 1T u shcrt tmc
Tho leading facts began to nc pretty vol estab
bshcd 10 thai Wednesday sat, gbolt
ssht O'Clock MAJOR anderson ana 80 Command
having spiked the guns. tired no gun ages cf WORT
Mouitrio and saved down tie fags,nr, evacuated he
place, ard took OF Fort Surrnter instead 4fe
ladies who had hitherto Lived The tCrt hal been
vously sent 10 Charleston, ard whatever furniture an.
npnition end provisions that could ne moved without
exciting suspicion, had been quietly
tunpter The report that the delcn,es Of wort Goue
had been SO phamefuily mat lated naturally aroused
great indignation IN the city People Immediately sough,
abe steeples ard cupoas " The pu3so buildings, AID
fxnIoC -nta ~