Newbern weekly progress., 1861-01-01
The Army Of s. Carolina - in Motion
They Capture Fort MOuItric and
Castle EDinckncy and Hold Them !
NO RLOOD AS Net But MUCH EN-
CITE1 Mt:

The following from the Charleston Mercury
Of Friday contains the particulars Of the ''war"
which begun" and ended, at Charleston,
principal city of the "new Republic" last week:
TIE EVENTS oE YEsTERDAY.-Charleston vas
Yesterday morning thrown into state Of the
widest excitement, by the news that the United
States troops had been transferred from Fort
Moultrle to Fort Sumter. At first the flying
rumors were so numerous and so contradictory
that it was no easy matter to get at the truth;
but in a short time the leading facts began to
be pretty well established. 1t seems that on
Wednesday night, about eight o'clock Major
ANDERSON and his command having spiked the
guns fired the gun carriages of Fort Moultrie,
and sawed down the flagstaff, evacuated the
place, and took possession of Fort Sumter in
stead. The ladies, who had hitherto lived in
the fort, had been previously sent to Charles
ton, and, whatever furniture, ammunition and
provisions that could be moved without eXct-
ing suspicion, had been quietly transfer ed to
Fort Sumter. The report that the defences of
Fort Moultrie had been shamefuily mutilated
naturally aroused great Indignation in the city.
People Immediately sought the steeples and
were brought into active requisition. to crafty
the general curiosity. Little however could
be described beyond a dense smoke issuing from
within the rampaEts, and large gangs of men at
work unloading the cargos of schooners into
Fort Sumpter
PEEP AT FORT MOULTRIE.
At halfpast two o'clock our reporter visited
Sulivan's Island Quietness reigned through
out Moultrieville and it was not until the fort
was reached that he noticed any signs of ac-
tvlty. Here, however, was a change. In
stead of mass of smoking ruins, were the
well-defned lines of the fortress, unchanged,
at least, in outward appearance Instead
of utter abandonment on the part of the garri-
son, the senoir officer of Engineers and six
men maintained possession of the stronghold
Instead Of gaining ready admittance, stolid
sentinel barred the way, whilst succession of
carts loaded with canister and grape, cooking
utensils and cooking stoves, made their devious
way to the lighter in attendance. to convey the
ill-assorted cargo to Fort Sumter. 1t was easy
to see that the fort had been virtually aban-
doned, but it not SO easy to ascertain the
full extent of the damage. The barracks were
still standing, though stripped of their furni
ture, and deserted by their tenants. In Short
it was plain enough an evacuation had taken
place, and that visitors 70 Major Anderson
were expected to leave their cards at Fort Sum-
ter. From the citizens it was CLEANED that the
guns had been tarred and spiked, and that the
small columns of smoke rising from the interi-
or proceeded from the burning gun carriage
One or two, more mysterious than the rest, sta
the whole ofthe interior of the fort had been
undermined, and that it was perlous to ven
ture within it's walls
The effect of the news was Immediately visi-
BILE ip the streets of our city. The volunteers
were out in full force and under arms. The
Cadet Riffemen and the Palmetto Guard, with
a detachment Of City Police, were detailed to
take charge of the Arsenal, and line of pat
rolls was established along the walls
TIE OCCUPATION OF CASTLE PINcKNEY.
The Rife Battalion. under command of Col.
j. j. Pettigrew. assembled promptly upon the
Citadel Green. They were substantially equip
ped in winter uniform, with blankets, KNAPP
sacks and revolvers. The battalion numbered
some 100 men, and consisted OF detachments
from the Meagher Guards, the Carolina Light
Infantry. Shortly after four o'clock the wgrd
was given, and the companies advanced in
double quick time, without music, towards the
Cooper River. None Of them. we believe. ex-
eepting the officers, were aware Of their 1es-
tination. They embarked on the steamer Nina,
which immediately headed for Castle Pinckney,
and the s1rmise soon hecene confirmed that