Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-01-01
tipAwAnse Gag staff, end tho
THE EVACUATION.

: sealed to NIL but the watch, and none but thcs
: were allowed to enter.
{ From the officers in charge il was Learned
that the evacuation uF the fort commenced
little after shutdown on "Wednesday evening
The men were ordered to hold themselves il
readiness, with knapsackS packed ut a mo
inents notice, but up to the moment of thci
l leaving had no idea of-ahandoning the post
{ The We're rcviewed on parade, and were lhrI
ordered 10 two sclionncrs lying in the vicinity
where they embarked. taking with them Il!
the ncc2sSaries, stores, &c, requisite in III,
evacuation.
) Several trips wero made during the night,an
a g:ea; part Of the provisions and camp furniture
were transported under cover Of night. The
brightness Of the moon, however, afforded but
Slight conceaimcnt to their movements, and in
one Of The trips, LIEUT.. Davis in command, Il
schooner full Of soldiers and baggage passed
directly under the bow Of guard boat Nina
The n!iccr who made. the statement expressed
himself to he ignorant whether tho watch on
BOARD the Nina discovered the movement or not
at al! events, lie said they did not signify any
cogrizancc Of the fact.
REASONS FOR EVACUATION.
From conversations held with the gentlemen
in possession Of the fort Yesterday, it was as.
ccrtained that the first impetus given to the
werk Of strengthening the fort was after The
speeches Of Mcssrs. Mograth, Mealningcr and
others, when fears were aroused that the time
would shortly come which would call into OK.
ercise the use Of force in protecting the public
property. Upon this all the energies Of the
officers and men we're called forth TO render the
position as strong rs possible. Attacks welc
expected only from the land side, and to the
strengthening OF these points all the available
force was put. The officers expressed them.
selves to he able, after preparations, &c, to
make Il successful resistance against any mob
or undiS:plined force, but against organized
troops tl:% small garrison could make no stand.
Major Anderson had been ordered TO hold
the fort, IL protect The work. and lie intended
to do it NJ every hazard lie denied that either
the President or Secretary Of War had given
any Gr'ierS Tor the evacuation of the post. Ma.
jor Anderson had done this on his own respon.
oib!iuy-tninking that by such Il step he would
make himself secure against attack, project the
lives Of his soldiers, and could better gunrd the
public property, for, in his position at Fort
GesSslen1Y, SSIHieTfass' IT. ri n ard nsdd5JiifftFH ne
TIE OCCUPATION OF FORT MDrLTIlE BIZ SOUTH
CAROLINA TROOPS.
At twcrty minutes To eight o'clock the
troops Oh board tic Nina and Gen. Clinch,
landed on tie wbar:tf SulIivan's Island. ia
Pidly forming, they proceeded under the COM
nand Of Col. DeSausSrIrc, towards the walls
OF Fort MOnltric. \ sergeant and ten men
held possession Of she place. On the approach
Of Col. D"Saussnrc's command, the dctach-
ment Of United States troops retired without
Offering any resistance.
The gates were no; closed, even, aud forty
,i,,,a .fa, IL. o,, ,-,.lal ~, ,lasf
The Palmetto Flag, mounted on Il hastily pre-.
pared stall las the original one had been cut
away waS :!ung To the breeze amid the huz.
zas Ut the occupants. Active preparations
were Immediately commenced 10 render the
place deicnsiiric. Tie spiked guns, and those
di.manilcl hy the lh:rning Of the carriages,
Will soon be III I position 10 respond to any
hostile drulLrStlaii"H made against the place.
1T II O'Clock las: night, when our reporter
LETT tlc Island, all Was quiet and orderly. Sen
tries were parins The ranparts, and the hail of
"Ai well rcSoundcd 1T regular intervals from
the several posts.
At Castle Pinckncy the same quiet prevail
cd up to the hour Of going 10 press. The spir.
tied commands in possession are active in their
vigilance, and perfectly competent TO take care
of themselves.
jit Slbf.NL-N'f of lhSiLE PlSSh.NE1.
The Charleston MERCURY" gives the follow.
Ing account Of the Storming of Castle p!nck-
nry by ;hn Stale troops:
The rifle battalion. under command Of Col.
j. J. rctligrew, assembled promptly upon the
Citadel Green. They were substantially equip
ped in winter uniform. with blankets, KNAPP
sacks and revo!"crs. The battalion numbered
some 80 men, and consisted uf dctachmcnts
Tan, fla ti,,unI,.r {,,a,l Nh. i'urnlip, ;pbt !
Infantry and the Washington Light Infantry.
Shortly after i O'Clock the word was given, and
the COMPANIES advanced in double Quick time,
without luisic, towards the Cooper uscr. None
If them, we believe, excepting the officers.
were aware Of their destination. ThcT en-
harkcr; on the steamer Nina. which immediate
~ headed Tor Castle pinckmcy, and the surmise
soon hccalnr confirmed that the destination Of
the command was 10 take possession OF that I
fortress.
Or nearing the fort II number Of men were
observed Oil the wharf, one Of whom, in nd
vance Of the others, was observed holding what
to be n paper in his laIiI. This was
~nid ,.sSsBc been the. -R"iL AcLu-ss snon asQ
tl,u NiHs. touched the wharf, the ss0higp afteNI
who mad been detailed for that duty. sprunG,g
ashore and rushed round 10 line rear Of The for.
,rrss. where the gate is situated. This was
found closed, and Il cry for Storln:ng ladders
was SOON answered by Il detachment bearing ~
dozen Or more of them. These were instantly 2
planted, and under cover Of the rifles of thal
battalion, the walls were cSCaladcd aud the \
cafes thrown open
On cnlcrirs the fort it was found 1" h" ten
aritcd only by III, officer Of engineers and 4
snail partv nf l#horcrS. none of whom made
any resistance. The officer WIS informed tha&A
he was at liberty 10 leave and remove lis perl
Sonal effects, and in a few minutes he set "atv
in a.b"nt b-lnI.ir. to the Tort, accompanied 10y
four uli.cr tnCn. From the direction III winch le
S,errcji it is surpassed i'!at lie went Ii Fort
M~oiIltrt".
The i!a- Of the Nina. consisting Of a white
star OH Il lei ground, WAS then boosted amid
iou! cheers; au,? whrft uIr reporter left Il >troHg
guard had been mounted and preparations ;r
garrisuling the fortress We're well advanced
MAJn: ,SpRssox'S REPLY To THE CHARLESTON
AUTHORITIES.
The Wilmington N. G. Herald. says:
After Major Anderson removed To Fort sum
ter, coy. Pickrn< sent t"i. rcttrr:rw aid Ma
ior C'sperS ,!own to him with i despatch. The
Courier says his reply had not TRANSFERRED, hut
we learn tha. 4 gentleman mln arrived sirre
Yesterday from Charleston, SAYS that Major
Anderson received the abovc.named gentlemen
courtcorSlv, and stated to them that he had
acted upon his own responsibility, and for Sc.
curity-;hat he deprecated the necessity for it..