Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-01-21
CHARLESTON. Jan. l3. 1861.

CHARLESTON, Jan. l3, 1861.
Itseems to be pretty well authenticated by
testimony in which l am disposed to place
confidence, that Fort Sumter is wholly with
out fuel, and that Il the garrison IS not noiO, a
soon sViH BE- subsisting on tHeOOksd toodi
How long the garrison, under such a state
of things, can be expected to hold out leave
others to Judge. have no special means of
judging what Major Anderson may conclude
to do, but the expectation of the Revolutionists
is that he will surrender the Fort within q
short time.
I think there is no great amount of truth
in the rumors OF iLsubordination in the Fort
though it is easy to be seen that, conditioned
as the garrison is, such thing would not be
wholly strange.
Neither the object nor the result Of the visit
of Gov. Picken's Secretaries OF War ard State
have l been able to learn, but should not be
at all surprised at almost any unfavorable
turn of affairs. Of one thing am persuaded;
Unless Fort Sumter be relieved very soon, the
Reyolutionsts rely confidently on having
possession Of tiff not by surrender from
starvation, then from capture. In the latter
event. not one of the garrison wodld be
spared.
On Wednesday evening last, after the affair
with the Star OF the West, heads of military
organizations waited on Gov. Pickens, and
proffered their services for the special duty
of taking Fort Sumter. The offer was ac-
cepted The deputation desired to know
whether the capture should be made that
night, and stated that they were ready and
anxious to deliver him the fort before morn
ing. The Governor declined to give the order
then, and adjourned the conference to a future
day, though not a distant one.
The Rebels think they can take the Fort
and are quite ready to undertake it. The
idea of the impregnability of Fort Sumter
rests on a sufficient garrison with nough TO eat
The Fort should contain not less than 800 men;
it has now not more than 75 fit for effective
service. How long that number will continue
effective without fuel, Others can estimate AS
well as l can.
Thus cooped up, Major Anderson and his
little garrison are compelled to witness, every
hour of the day, the preparations going
forward all around them, designed for their
destruction. Heavy guns arrive, and are
transported to the batteries ranging on the
fort every hour. Thus the lVeigh Of the metal
which decides the breaehiHg account is Hey easing.
continually. AS yet do not believe that the
means of preaching Sumter's wallare at hand.
But the exhaustion which general opening
on the fort would produce on the garrison,
kept up as the bombardment could and prob
ably would be for many hours would, it is
argued, iucapacitate the garrison for sue
ccssful defense at the moment of the assault.
Iconclude that the country does not wish
to see matters brought to this terrible pass
and yet steadily, day by day, it approaches.
1 think the country and the Government have
thus far underestima: ed the desperation and
purpose of the Rebels. This is shown by the
sending of the Star Of the West supposing
she would be allowed to approach Fort
Sumter, and subsequently, by sending the
Brooklyn. / think the Brooklyn might have
relieved the Fort; certainly, she and one or
two armed ships can do it. The batteries on
Morris Island will have to be silenced first,
by vessels of war, while Fort Sumter disPoses
OF Fort Moultrieand Fort johnson.
It is difficult 10 find parallel OF Fort Sumter
in her present eond ton, and wonder that
Government and the country locks on for a
single day longer. The Rebels themselves
wonder, and say, where are your brave men,
who glory SO much in Major Anderson con-
duct2 Why do they not come to his rescue 2
Indeed, why don't they2 Shame on the
President