The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1861-05-23

Sunfer--Ne was Offered u E0F1OW
hut Declined 90 Receive &c.
Schuyler Colfax contributes some inter-
es,iug facts to the South Bend Register,
which he gathered in the course Of oonves-
sation with Major Anderson at Washing-
ton:
When his fort was filled with the smoke
of his burning quarters, the hostile batteries
redoubled their fire on him. He says that
though the Charleston Mercury is now de.
nouncing him for having spoken in eoudem-
nation Of this at the North, he has Ne sat-
isfaction of remembering that he spoke Of il
With equal frankness TO the Carolinisna At
the evacuation. he said to one of the officers:
"If our cases had been reversed, aud your
J quarters had been on FIRE. I should have stop
ped firing and offered aid to extinguish the
/ flames. War is sad business at best. and
we should strive to humanize il as much ~
possible The officer replied. I'VE did
Just right" "Then," said Anderson, I'VE
/. need have no further conversation siv."
! His statement OF Wigfall's conversation
| with him when he agreed to evacuste. dit.
fers materially from WIS version as tele-
graphed. WigfaIl did not demand IN .'an.
conditional surrender" aad the fort, in fact
never was surrendered. He insisted that
'this thing" should be stopped-that An
derson had bravely defended his fag-that
J further contest was useless--and that Gen.
Beauregard wished 70 know on what toruns
he woald evacuate. 'On those formerly
proffered." replied Anderson. When Beau
regaad's ac,iog aids came short time after.
and told him Wigfall had not scea their
Chieffor two days. Anderson said: II have
hAsn imposed ~ .ben--.he ~hiss aAQ .1use
their request. ne let is dy ~ he haA hoisted
It after the Wigfsll conference. till Bssesu-
guard had ratified the terms
The remark widely criticised, made ov
him to Beauregard's officers. "If not rein-
forced | shall be starved out or battered 20
pieces in few days. and which was tela-
graphed to JED. Davis. and all ovs, she
country, he never uttered officially. nor ex.
pected to see repeated. After refusing in
writing to surrender, he made the above re-
mark in general conversation, ~ he was
about bowling them out OF the Fort, knowing
that they kne,c. as they had stopped his sup
Plies several days before. that he was, 81
that very time. out of bread. potatoes, fresh
meats. rice. cabbages. DC. He thinhs, how
ever. that by their catching At il and pub.
llshing it they only put themselves moro in
the wrong; as it proved that all sides fully
understood that. in a few days 1t moot, his
e'c"oy HHi staSsoo 8efUSOn Wo0l0 % o0-
sireiy starved out, without firing . gun q
The flag the fort, or endeavorinQ to
slaughter the soldiers who but performed
their duty in defending both. -
Aliuding to an ''irnpregnable fors" being
m fire inside. which caused % uauoh 70.
mark during the bombardment. he said he
isd always disapproved Of wooden barracks
being erected in such localities. and for years
ie had been convinced that iron was the
proper material.
We asked him what he though Of the fa-s
nous floating battery. and his reply vas
hat its guns were effective; but that. from
heir not anchoring it in the river uess the
or,. bat mooring it at Sullivaa's Islssd. its
builders seemed to lack confidence il it,
,oastec impregn ability.
The Administrations. in view Of his long
confinement in Sumter. and the terrible bap-
ism Of FIRE and smoke. through which hs
ad passed, and which has impaired his
eal:h. pro.fered him furlough from se.
i've servicefor any length oil time hs might
'esire. to 60 TO Europe TO reinvigorets bis
eaith Al home. But he declined aceepein9
!. He said at such time as this. 10 fek
duty to stand by his country in it, hour
t peril; and he goes this week to his native
tate of Kentucky. to unfurl the dag Of the
Tnion and the Corsti,,rtioo auA - e~~,@