Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-04-20
Why the Defense OF sumter was I'm.
dertaken.

The following Washington dispatch to the
Baltimore american bears date April 10th
but it contains much that is interesting and
| apparently reliable, respecting the cause.
that have led to the gallant defense of Fort
| Sumter:
1t is very generally conceded here TO-DAY
| that the.recent navy and army movements al
New York are intended for the relief of Major
Anderson and his beleagured garrison in Fort
/ Sumter. The difficulty that has arisen with
regard to the proposed evacuation of Fort
Sumter, and the present position of affairs
are, as near as can be ascertained, as follows:
Nearly four weeks since the President and
| Cabinent, on the representation of Gen.
Scott, decided to eyacuate Fort Sumter as
military necessity-that is to say, the rein
| forcing and provisioning of it was not deemed
essential, in view of the cost of blood and
| treasure it would require to accomplish the
| purpose. This decision of the President was
communicated to Major Anderson by a spe-
| cial messenger, with instructions to open ne
| gotiations with the military authorities at
| Charleston to carry the project into execu-
ton
These negotiations have been progressing
| ever since, and the numerous messengers
/ that have been passing between Charleston
and Washington have communicated to Ma
| Jul <1uUcISOn tuc luetEuctlOuS OF the tI0Y-
eminent and TO the President the demands of
| the authorities of the Southern Confederacy.
1t is understood that Major Anderson
refused, under instructions, an unconditional
surrender OF the fortress to the Confederacy,
but proposed to abandon it with his garrison.
leaving the fort in possession of a corporal
and two privates to protect the property of
the Government, and leave 1t thus to await
future events. He is also understood to have
n Add 81
should be given him that no attempt should
be made to take possession of it after the
evacuation of the garrison, and that the off
Ger left in charge should not be molested, or
his possession as the nominal representative
of the Government interfered with.
This proposition did not meet the views of
Gen. Beauregard, who demanded that the
flag of the United States should be saluted
and lowered, as was done at the Pensacola
Navy yard, and that formal surrender of
the fort should be made by the Government of
the United States to the Government of the
Southern Confederacy, and the Confederacy
flag of the seven stars raised on the Flagstaff
and saluted.
This demand, which would be virtual re.
cognition by the President and Major Ander-
son OF the existence of the Southern Confed-
eracy, was firmly refused, and the decision of
MAJ. Anderson was subsequently sustained
net. Thus matters stood up to the commence
ment of last week. when Gen. Beauregard in
timated to Major Anderson, that if the de-
mand of the Confederacy was not complied
with, an order would be Immediately issued
to cut off all further communication between
the fort and Charleston, and his regular sup
plies of marketing would be stopped. This
fact was brought to Washington by Col Lam
on, as the ultimatum OF the Confederacy. A
Cabinet meeting lIa1 - q,
said that the refusal to make formal sur
render of the fort and the lowering of the
flag was unanimously reaffirmed
Immediately after this decision orders were
given for the military and naval preparations
that have since occasioned so much excite
meat, the object being to use them, if neces-
sary, in relieving the garrison of Mai. Anfler-
son from threatened starvation, and main
tanning the dignity of the Government and
the honor of the flag in Charleston harbor;
or, If not required there, to dispatch TIE ex-
petition to Texas to msintain the treaty
stipulations of the Government on Ehe from
tier, and drive back the Indians asa Msxi-
State. NJ
In the meantime, Lieut.. Talbot S7as dis
patched by Major Anderson to Washington,
with further Information as to the condition
OF affairs, in which rumOr says that Maj. An
derson urged the Government not to allow
the flag which he had SO long maintained in
the face of the besiegers to be humbled as
they required, and to compel the gallant men
who had stood SO nobly by him, including
the mechanics who could have left him if
they had desired, to witness the humiliating
sight of any flag but that of their country
floating from its battlements.
This dispatch, the last from Maj. Anderson,
was received on Friday evening last, when
orders were sent to New York to hurry off
the expedition at the earliest possible mo-
ment. and its destination fixed for Sumter