Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-01-11
an 4UTHENTIc ACCOUNT
EVACUATION OF FORT M0ULTalE.
THE NIGHT OF DEcEMBER, esrH, 1850.


From the World.
/ We give below the first genuine and au-
thenfic account which has been snf red TO
pass through the southern mails of Major
Anderson's removal from Fort Sumter. Oar
correspondent, who has had every advantage
that a participation IN that gallant mauon-
yer or residence within the walls of both
forts, or military knowIedge could give bin.
reeites the preparations which we're being
made by the Chafiestonians 10 hem IN the
brave Anderson and his troops; bis fruIii less
efforts to induce the War department to allow
him to provide for their defencr; the reasons
| which compelled him to hssty evacuation 81
| Fort Moultrie; the provisions made By The
| Charifstonians to prevent the removal Ia
Fort Sumter, and With what silrewdmess and
ability they were foilrd; bow the troops bag
gage and provisions were transferred; the
| row across The hatbor, in a clear moonlight,
within hundred yards of the Charleston
steamboat; and a history OF the night. until
his command was finally safely HOUSED in
the stronghold of Sumter.
Major Anderson has done The hest possible
thing for his small command and the country
st large. It was unauthorized. il is true. but
it was Indispensable. To d fend himself gu
the bar and exten sive ramparisof ForI Mpui-
trie for more than three or four days. would
have been impossible. If not from any ac-
| tuai loss of men, be must have succumb-d
from fatigue and loss of sleep, for il would
have been impo to spare man from his
post. The South Carolinans were making
preparations to erect three ltteries against
him, 10 surround him with rife pits and
tOpen trenches. They only awaited the
signal from thir commissioners IL begin.
Their engineer officers came down every cay
to examine aud lay out their plans Of attack
| Cannon had actually been sent 10 the island
| In a few days the mi n weuld have EN- sur
rounded with perfect network. and his
| hands were still tied behind his back The
| government would not even give him per-
| mission to level the immense sand hills which
overlooked his works. They would not send
| him the amuniton he needed. nor would they
allow him the necessary m0rtars aud shells
| to dislodge the clouds of riff men who would
| pick of his cannoneers. He and his COM
mand had, nevertheless, determined TO light
| it out to the last, and blow up everything.
Tue only possible safety for them was in
burning down Moultiieville. in the first place
flor they were so hemmed in that they could
not see hundred yards,) and in taking down
the crests OF the higher sand hills. 1t was
all in vain; his hands were tied: aud when 1t
became apparent that the heavy batteries OF
Fort Sumter were, 10 addition, TO plunge
their fire into the work, aud entilade one and
take in reverse two of bis lines, the case re-
siege or assault Fort Modltrie itself is but
a mere dependency of Fort Sumter. The
battle which the Major was about 10 fight
would be, in every sense, a useless one, so
long as the enemy held Fort Sumter. Veto
ry would not have given him command OF the
barbor. By moving TO Fort Simier he gained
safety for the men, a free aud untrammelt1
position, commanding the harbor-a posi- |
ton, from which he might prevent the erec- |
ton of efficient batteries against ships, from |
which he can drive out an enemy from cor
MOultrie-a position which few days work /
will render impregmabie TO all but Ircaehe:y. |
The government, instead of acting undei |
perpetual menaees and threats, can now act. |
If it chooses, with dignity and Fl mnrss, lor |
Charleston is at the feet of Anderson. when |
ever he chooses 10 exercise his power. Not |
a vessel can come in or out without his per
mission. He can collect the revenue with |
ease, the lights can be put cut by his guns,
aud all this occure ed without bluodshrd. NJ |
blood need be shed, unless South Carolina /
nadly filings herself against him in furous |
effort to retrieve her broken fortunes Sh-
feels and knows she is in the power uf tie |
United States government. Sensible thew |
were driving Anderson to extr, nifty. al d |
fearful he might make an attempC OF Il e |
kind they had stationed two steamboats,, bav- |
ing 120 men. with two piecs of artillery, un-
der command of Lieut.. Hamilton, recently |
resigned from the navy. They had Station d |
these between Fort Sumter aud Fort MOul |
trie, TO cruise around and prevent any at |
tempt to transfer the garrison. hut Anderson |
foiled them. H carri'-d out his pr'j ct with |
consummate ability. He talked Tor =, week OF |
the absolute necessity OF sending The women |
and children TO the village OF Fort Johu>on
for safety. There is an old diiapidatcd |
building there, in which he propdSt d 10 pui |
them until the battle was over He charter |
ed three lighters TO carry them and their /
baggage, and be added every hing TO The Can |
go he could without exciting suspicion. The |
CharlestOnians did NOT wish To inieIfere with |
the transit of provisions To Capt. Fo.t re- |
men at Fort Sumter, because they regarded |
him as in realny finishing the wo X tor ia. IN.
This be was actually doing through tue neg |
ltct of the administration. Under pa eIenee |
Of sending him provisions. Major Aud rrson
sent over "a large amount of his store>. Thus
dissent arrassed, be was ready for a m.ivs.
The schooners, with the mp women ati
children, had orders to sail hon Fort john
soa to Fort Sumpter upon hearIug twO CALI
non fired at Fort MOul rie-ihe ~ III thai
the evacuation of the fort had been e implicit
ed. He then gave orders to tine men
TO pack their knapsacks, ard hold thcm-
selves Ia readiness at all times, a.
they might, some day, have 30 move
He took one of his officers aside about P
N, on the 6th, and told him in aboat twrn
~ minutes he should make the attempt 10
reach Fort Sumter. The attempt was dan
gerous one. Two steam boats lay oil The tort
with troops and guns, and these boats would
have run him down in moment, had they
been aware of the movement. Major Aa-
derson left orders to fire intu the hina steam
boat, if sue noiested his men, aud 81 poun-
der was loaded up for that purpose, Fort
Moultrie is always surrounded by paid spies
and members of the vigilance committee. but
they did not Interfere, and probably did not
understand what the command Was doing.
The troops sprang into the boats and tne
men pulled with Will. Hall way the hos
lie steamboat approached rapidly with a
ship in tow. Ii was a glorious moonlight
night, and very clear. Tue steamboat pass
ID within hundred yards, but probably took |
The boats to contain workmen retaining from
Fort Sumter. Sumter was reached at lasG.i
10 safety. An exclamation of surprise Game
rom the brickiayers on the wharf. Que OF
them shouted, s.Hurrah for the Union" He
was hurried in and made to keep quiet III
the meantime the officers who rellaIned III
Fort Moultrie held tue iauyards OF tae guns
IN their hands ready to fire upon the steam
boat if it molesled the boats. Tue boats were
embarked and reached Sumter in safety,
though one boat PASSED almost under the
bow OF the Nina. The movement was ac-
,omplished, and Charleston was at the feet
Of the gallant major. The ehagrin of tie
people in the city was intense. They had
counted on this strouglo as their own, aud1
The tables had been completely turned on
them. With the exception oi coal aud fire.
wood, 1 believe everything OF any import
ance was brought over.
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