, 1861-04-18

ne knew what Davis had not genera1shit, to
perceive, that on the"4th, OF March, and for
some weeks. afterwards, it would have, been
almost impossible for the: Federal Govern
ment to defend Washington against such
force as the traitors had already collected be-,
fore Sumter, and which conld be marched at
any time on Capital not Tet prepared for de-
fence-not yet even purged Of traitors. u
= his plans based On these facts, were at once
lid ByT eyeFy M means Y his power, he con;
men On Sumter. He must have eeen with IN
finite satisfaction the daily increasing force
gathered at Charleston, while the Government
lost no time in Strengthening the Capital.
Every hour the traitors spent before Sumter
gave them only more surely into the hands Of
their mnster.
To make assurance doub1y sure, he pyetended
to leave Fort Pickens in the llrch. It was
said to be in no danger, when Scott knew that
| q formidable force was investing 1t. Men
feared that all would be lest by the inaction Of
the Goyernment, Rhen It, was never. more.
| RhreWdly energetic. =, z
at last Washington :was n: j; reasonably sais:
Forces were gathered. Once more our: brave
Old General saw himself with means in hts
| hands. Then tdsne The armament po3ula13y
beliesed 10 BE- destined for Sumter. The Govern
1ent said not q word-on1y asked Of the trail
tors the opportunity to send it's own garrison
. needed supply Of food. They refused-and
fearing the afrival Of the Federal aeet drunk
and besotted With treason, and impatient to
shed the blood. Of loyal soldiers, they made
| the attack.
Scarce had they begun, when they saw, with
evident terror, ships hoVering about the har-
boris mouth. They piled their cannon in deb-
helpi What WIS the Matter2
Made bold BY the furious thirst for blood,
they dared the ships to come in. But no shtp
offered its assistance 70 A1aderson1 More,. the
guns OF Sumter were only directed at the teo.ta:s
of the traitors, and Msjor Anderson evidently
tried to fire in such manner as netto Kill men
He cid not eren try few bombs on the city,
though it iB certain, from . letter of one Of his
own officers, that his guns would reach beyond
the centre OF Charleston. = - -
/ What was the matter Beauregard must
haye' @ thought the goveramsht officers
boats were sailing 1uharrned about the
harbor, between Sumter and Moult1ie, bearing
his orders, was it possible that the forces oi1t.
side could stand apathctic wilils : brave gar
| rison Was being uohe to death 2 When
: | the battle Was to the death, would shreWd
by firing his city?
II 1t seemed mysterious to us, waiting OF
Saturday with breathless suspense, 1t MUS
have seemed ineomprehensible to any COO
l.: heed In the traitor camp.
SILL no ships come in-and in fact the re
ports state that only three or four small yes
sells remained in the od1ng. After forty hour,
cannonade, in zchtch not man is Aita1d, Mnjo
Anderson, an officer Of undonbted conrag.
end honor, runs up white flag, surrender!
! the fort, aud becomes the guest of Gen. Beau
} regard. Let no man hastily cry traiterl Il,
. only obeyed his orders. He made an honor
able defence. He took care to sAed no blood
!; He "gave orders not to sight men, but to ri
lence batteries" :.
Meantime, while the rebels are ignorant1,
gloruying the victory Of five thousand mel
over eighty, what neS7s comes from Montgom
erys The telegraph, in the hands Of the reb
els, says: h..
Is Fort Hcken8 zoas rein forced last nightn
"It is understood that Charleston haybo7 ;
bgockaded."
! Dispatches from LieHlensnt slemner ran
tured by the rebels, give Davis tie flrst III
i nation Of his defeatt No wonder the rebe