The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1861-05-24
Highly Interesting Narrative.

the last number OF tho paper, a re.
port Of an interview he had with
Major Anderson, embracing many
facts and incidents connected with
his operations in Charleston which
have not before beon made public,
and correct statements Of others
heretofore erroneously reported -
Coming as the statement does, from
the gallanuhero himself, and through
80 reliable medium, II will be
highly priced by oil readers. Mr..
Cofax says:
We met him frat in the War Dc.
par,ment at Washington and found
him that plain, assuming gentleman
which all reports had declare him
TO believing his flag and country
with o most fervid devotion -evi
IDENTIFY more a man Of deeds than ol
words--and with q face that ex.
hibited unyielding determination ia
its every lineament. The next morn
ing we spent an hour, on his invi-
tation, with him in his room, con.
versing on the stirring incidents oi
the eventful months that have re
Gently passed-and next day travelled
IN his company rom Washington to
Philadelphia, over the United States
military route, via Annapolis, Ches
apeake Bay aud Perryville.
We cannot, in the limit Of news
paper article, detail all Of his deeply
interesting conversation; but must
content ourselves with a few points.
In response to an enquiry whether
he had ever thought OF blowing up
the fort, with his entire command
and himself, he replied in substance
as follows: That finding his position
at Fort Moultrie untenable, and the
danger Of al attack on him increas.
ing. he determined to remove
80 Fort Sum er. Writing to the
the War Department he remarked,
elf were in Sumter, my command
would be safe, il no additional for
tilications should be built" but this
hint seemed To escape Mr.. Floyd's
notice. He then tol the Charles
tonians who frequently visited Fort
Moultric, that, not knowing when An
attack might be made on him, he
should remove thelwomen and child
ren from it; and, without any at
tempt at secresy, employed two
schooncrs for this purpose. People
came to his wharf in the afternoon
while he WAS packing the furniture,
bedding. &c, on the vessels, and
they were removed as he had said.
Alter night, feeling that he had
right to make himself and Soldiers
safe as well as the women and child.
rem, he embarked them also on the
vessels, and before morning they
were safe within the walls ofSumter.
The people oi Charleston, when this
movement was discovered, became
exceedingly bitter and iull OF wrath.
Gen. Jeinson, the President OF the
State Convention, called on Major
Anderson and told him of their in.
,dignation against hm-asseverating
that 10000 people were ready to
surround the tort and to work their
way into his command il they had
to pick the bricks out of the wall
with their fingers. Let them try
it," coolly replied Major Anderson;
land when they have made the
breach, they will find that we prefer
death to being butchered. The
magazine shall end the contest, and
they will 6nd here neither fort nor
men"
When the bombardment com
menced, they were entirely out OF
bread, rice, &c. Their stock OF
supplies consisted Of a few days ra.
tions of salt meat and coffee. The
lire WIS opened upon them at 4; 80
a. m, battery after battery joining in
the murderous attack. The Major
took it very camly-divided his
men into companies to relieve each
other-had their scanty breakfast
prepared, which they partook of in
silence, while the iron hail was
crashing against their walls--vre-
p red additional cartridges by tear
ing up the flannel shirts of tie men,
their bed clothes, &c.--got out a
supply Of po vder from tho mrga-
zine--and, after nearly four hours
al once, the ioit ut last opened most
vigorously on their assai'ants. Hot
coffee WAS kept in the boiler in the
cook room for the men to paitako OF
whenever they pleased, and they
worked the guns with will. They
fired but few shells, for tho only
guns for that kind OF ammunition
were the barbettc ones on tho open
rampant, many Of which were dis
mounted by tho continuous fire OF
the enemy, and the serving Of which,
from the lack OF casemate protection,
would have rapidly thinued out tho
Majors little band.
The Major evidently does not
credit the South Carolina story tina,
no one WAS hurt on their side; but,
with his usual caution, Expressed no
positive opinion on the subject. hav-
ing no means Of knowing what are
the actual facts.
Although the batteries kept up
the fire on the fort. at intervals. all
night, to prevent the men from
sleeping, they failed in their object.
He ordered the men to bed and they
slept soundly while tho sentinels
alone kent ON duty. Althouuh he