The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1861-04-20
The History of the Fort Sumpter affair up
TO the Commencement of fiostiiiiies.


rect version of the Fort Sumpter troubles
up to the commencement OF ofhostilities, as
in the existing confusion of Iumors, can be
reached 1t is furnished by the w ashing
ton correspondent Of the Baltimore Amert
! can:
Nearly four weeks since the Presiden!
and Cabinet, on the representation OF tie,
neral Scott, decided to evacuate Fort
Sumpter as 4 military necessity-that is to
say, the reinforcement and provisioning
of it was not deemed essential, in view oil
the cost OF blood and treasure it would re-
qure to accomplish the purpose. This de
clsion of the President was communicated,
to Maj. Anderson by a special messenger,
with instructions to open negotiations with
| the military authorities of Charleston to
carry out the project in execution.
The negotiations have been progressing
ever since, and the numerous messengers
! that have been passing between Charleston
, and Washington have communicated to
| Maj or Anderson the instructions OF the
government of the Southern Confedercy
1t is understood that Major Anderson re-
! fused, under instructions, an unconditlon-
al surrender of the fortress to the Confe-
deracy, but proposed to abandon it with
his garrison, leaving the Fort in possession
I
the property of the government, and leave
it thus to await future events. He is also
understood TO have demanded of General
Beauregard that a pledge should be given
him that no attempt should be made 20
take possession of it after the evacuation
OF the garrison, and that the officer left in
charge should not be moles;ed, or his pos
( session 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 Cuited States should be sa-
luted and lowered, as was done nj the Pen
sacola Navy Yard, and that formal sur
render OF the Fort should be made by the
Government Of the United states TO the
Government Of the Southern Couiederacy
and the Conlederacy flag OF seven stars
raised on the flag staff and saluted
This demand, which would be a virtual
recognition by the President and Maj An
derson Of the existence of the Southern
Confederacy. was firmly refused, and the
decision af Major Anderson was subse-
quently sustained and approved by the
President and his Cabinet. Thus matters
stood up to the commencement of last
week, when General Bcaulegard intimated
te Major Anderson that. II the demand Of
the Coniedelacy was not complied with,
an order would be Immediately issued TO
cut oil all further communication between
the Fort and Charleston, and that lis re-
cular supplies Of marketing would Ice stop
ped This fact was brought to Washing
ton by Colonel Lamon, the ultimatuin
Of the Contcdeyacy. \ Cabinet meeting
was then called, and it IS said that the re-
fusal to make a formal surrender of the
Fort and the lowering Of the flag was
unanimously confirmed
immediately after this decision, orders
were given for the military and naval pre-
paratioEs that have since occasioned so
much excitement, the object being TO use
them if necessary in relieving the garrison
Of Major Anderson from threatened skar-
ydtiOn, and maintaining the dignity Of Ike
Government and honor of the flag in
Charleston haIbori or If not required ,pere
/ 10 despatch the expedition to Texas 10
maintain the treaty stipulatons Of the
, Government on the frontier, and drive
/ back the Indians and MeX.cans who are
! threatening to in ;ade the State
/ IN the meantime Lieutenant Talbot was
/ despatched 10y Major Anderson to Wash
/ ington with further information a 10 tie
condition OF affairs, III which rumor saws
that Major Anderson urged the Govern
,neDt not TO allow the tlag which he had
beeeigers TO be hulnbled as they
rcquired-and to compel the gallant
men who have stood 50 uob!y by HIM, in
Guiding the mechanics who could have
left him If they had desired, 10 witness the
hunIiliating sight OF any flag bat that 0.
their country floating from its Uattlelnents
This despatch, the last from Major An
dcrson, was received on Friday evening
last, when orders we're sent to New Yoli
10 hurry of the expedition az the earliest
possible moment, aud its destination fixed
for Sumpter In the meantime inforina
ton was received ut Washington that Ge
neral Beauregard had notified Major An
dcrson that he would be allowed to re
cciye no further supplies, or hold any com
municatiun with Charleston On rcceiyin.
this information the President despatchec
Lieut.. Talbot to Charleston with instruc
tons to Major Anderson to notify the
Confederate authorities that the Govern
ment proposed Immediately to despatch
an unarmed vessel with food for the gar
rison at Fort Sumpter, and that he wa.
instructed, If the vessel should be free
upon, to return the fire from Fort Sunp
ter. Mr. Chew, Of the State DEPARTMENT
WAS also sent on the evening of The saE!C
day 10 Charleston, to informally communi
cate with the authorities, and inform then
what was the decision and purpose of tn.
Government, in case Lieut.. Talbot was re
fused access to Major Anderson They
were both denied the opportunity of com
municating with Fort Sumpter, and ar,
expected to arrive here to night
The expedition from New York was &C
cordingly ordered to rendezvous off tn,
Charleston bar, where, if the rough wea
ther has not interfered with them, the,
will probably reach to morrow Com
mander Porter, a son of Commodore Por
ter, IN command Of the Powhatan, has full
charge of the naval expedition, and la:
instructions from the President and Gene
raj Scott as to the course he shall pursue
The military portion Of the expedition
and the forces when landed, will be under
the command OF Lieutenant Colonel IIar
vey Brown, who has been stationed fol
two years past at Old Point Comfort:
most gallant and discreet officer There
will be, it is said, no precipitate act calcu
lated to bring about collision but an ei
fort will be first made to induce Genera
Beauregard to allow the unarmed yesse
to proceed to Sumpter and land her cargo
Of provisions, If this is refused she vii
start i'll without obtaining permission, ant
if fired upon by the shore batteries, Majo
Anderson will respond from Sumpter, ano
the forces vii! be landed from the steam
ers and the batteries attacked in the rear
Four boxes OF earth, alike in qualit,
and exposure to light and heart, wer'
planted at the same time with corn from
a single ear, and placed recently in ply
, sician Office. In one box dry corn wa
, planted; in another the seed was soaked
D i =, ~ 4.