Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-06-08
Hay27th, 1851
MR.. RUssELLs FIFTH LETTER TO THE LONDON
TINES
From the Lord,n Times, lith
CHARLESTON, ). e., Abr


CHARLESTON ). e., April 2l.
fpd some consolation for the disappointment. OF not.
arriving in ime witness the attack Fort SUMTER in
s.rOng the condition Of the work soon after 10 An
defson surrendered IT, Already have upon my table
pamphlet entitled The Battle of Fort Sumter and First
Victory fthe Southern Troops &e,sevcra poems and
variety Ct vrrscues, songs aud rhetorical eIercatons
upon this event, which, however important as political
demonstration Is Of small value in military sense, ex
cept in far the bloodless occnpa ion of position
command the Charleston harbOr il concerned. lt may
tend to prevent any flss Impressions founded on I'M
perfect information to state few cts connected with
the FIRE in the work. and is effects, which will interest,"
At less. some military readers.
In the first place It may be well to admit that the
military preparations and positions OF the South Caro-
inians we're more formidable than prepared TO
expect on the part of small State without any con-
siderable internal organization resources. THIS COM
paraye efficiency due mainly to General Beaurc
gard and his assstan. engineer, Aa)r Whiting, who
both professional engineer officers OF the United States
army and who had capacity aud il lleuc, enough 70 d
rect the energies of the uudiscphned masses in the
proper direction instead Of allowing them to rush
their fate in the perilous es-ay OF escslade they
intended The State of South Carolina had for a long
time past been accumglaDg and munitions oil war,
and IL NAV be said that siUce the publication
test she had permitted herself dwell the idea Of
ultimate secession, be Effected by force if necessary.
When General BeaWegard and Major Whiting came
hare the works intended 70 resist the fleet AMI crush he
fort were in very imperfect state. Major Anderson aud
hi officers had true professional contempt for the bat
eres of the civilians and militia men, which was in some
measure ustfabe. 0ne' morning, however as they
took their survey of their enemya abors for the PR
you night they perceived change had come over the de-
signs of their works That "some who knows his bus
ness il over there evident Their strange relationship
with those who preparing to destroy them If posi-
BILE however prevented their recourse to tue obvious
means which were then in abundance in their hands to
avert the coming danger Had Major Anderson main
tanned a wel-regulated fire on the enemy the moment
they began to throw up their batteries and prepare Fort
Moutre against him. he could have made their progress
~ slow I'D exceedingly laborlous and nave marked 1t
a. every step with blood.
His command over the ground was very decided, but
be had it is TO be supposed authority to defend him
self in the only way in which it could be done "roo
ate"-that fatal phrasewas the echo TO every order
wi ch came from the OF Government at Washl &
ton. Meantime the South CaroiniAns worked at their
batteries and able to obtain the soft
sandy plains on which they were planting their gurs
and mortars They practiced their men at the guns,
stacked shot and shell, and furnished their magazines
and drilled their eyes with impunity within 400
wards of the fort We all know what impuny is worth
In offensive demonstrations. II is a powerful agent
sometimes in creating enthusiasm Every day more vol
unteers ocked TO the various companies or created new
associations of AIMED men, and the heterogeneous and
motley mass began TO assume some resemblance TO en-
army, however irregular.
the neiQhborhood of camp where military and youn-
eer taors are at work trying experiments iu uniform,
and sending in their animated models for inspection.
There is an endless varety-sen of uglness-in dress
and equipment and nomenclature among these compa-
MES The head dress generally however, smart cap
ike the French KEPT the tunc is Of different cuts col
ors facngs and m4teralsgreen with grey and yellow,
grey with orange and black and white, blue with white
and yellow lcsgs roam, brown, burnt sienna, and olive
jackets, irocks tunics bouses cloth, linen, tweed,
flannel.
The officers generally in blue frocks and brass but
TONS with red sasbes the ranks being Indicated by gold
lace paralelograms the shoulder straps, which are
like those in in the Russian army. The Of the
men seem tolerably well kept and in good order. Many
however, still shoulder "White Boss," the old smooth
bore mu-ket with unbrowned barrel The following
is an official return, which an enabled to present to
YOU through the courtesy OF the authorities showing the
actual number Of men under arms yesterday, in and
around Charleston
Morris Island.-Seventeenth Regiment 700 men; Firti
Regiment, $50 men, Second Regiment, s76 men. Tota
1925 men.
sullivan's Island-Ffsh Regiment, 1915 men; detach