The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1861-01-18
Exciting News From Charleston.
IIO-:i!.tie> (0mHpnvcd--Thc Star of the
West Fired Into.

The passenger steamer Star of the West.
which LEI, New York last Saturday evening.
under charter Of the government, with 80
additional troops ard a quantity Of provis-
o"> :or MAJOR Anderson. entered The harbor
# Charleston about day sht Wednesday
morning. ihv Charleston tourItr OF Tues
day SAYS that about six o'clock the small
>tcui.,r Gyr taulch. Oh the lookout fac her
,om;,- OUTSIDE he harbor, discove!,t. hc!
I'D ,;-uaitG .hr tact to the state trcupS Il,
Mon Islam. WHO soon had their bait rvs
,nan;r;:, expecting 4 yoilcy from Fort Sun
ter altri their lirSt attack on the steamer
Sullivan Island (oppo>!rc Morri>) and took
the ship cnaiHel inside the bar, proceeding
straight forward until opposite Ii, battery on
Morris Island. from which she was three
Un.rtcrS OF a mile distant a bail was then
.rtd from Morris l>ia!.'!, across the bows of
the steamer, warl.lng Ter Lot to proceed fur
tier. Jpnn this tie Star Of tie West Ci>
piavtd The federal tlas.and as soon as this Wa.
uituted tuc icrtliivations-Fort Moutre
now taking part-tircd succession Of heavy
>hutS. The ,cs>tl continued, however, at III
ueustG speed but cne or two Of the shots
taking ,, ,ct She concluded to retire Fort
Mou.trie !.eti but few shots, and those ou,
cf range; only two of the seventeen
shots in all struck the steamer, doing but tn
ilirs d.,r age. The Star Of the West then
put ;.tou, and vert to sea. At Fort Sumter
the Only d: mons..a:ion made was to run the
,.:r!.s out OF the per. holes towards Morris
Island.
\, 10 O'Clock III, same (W,dr, day fore
roon a boat with wii,. fag, from Fort
Sumter, arrived at the whar: in Charleston.
bringing Lieut. y. j. Hall, Who bore COM
munica,:on from Major Anderson to Gov
Pickens. He repaired to tie governor S
quarters. followed by large crowd Of Cit
ztns, and was in secret communication with
the governor and council fer two hours. At
> O'Clock he Was escorted by the governors
aids to his boa, and returned to Fort Sum
ter. Major Andersons communication was
rs follows:
10 the Gnr0nor nt .SouH CdyolAu:
SIR Tive of Your batteries, this morn
ing. fred Oh an unarmed vessel bearing The
iIay OF NY government. AS have not been
ittiItN tIdl ul lldS t'tti utNiditu D1 hD'ull
Carolina against the United States, can but
think this hostile ACT was committed withou,
your authority. Under that hope retrained
o;el.ing fire on Your batteries. respeclful
ly ask whether the above mentioned act
without IA parallel in the history ofthis coun-
Try or any other civilized ,erLment-~as
in obcdiel ce to your instructions and no
tify YOU if it is rot Gi>camed shall regar(
it as an act Of war and shall not, after rea
sorabie TIME for the return Of my messenger
permit any vessel bearing the colors of Soutf
Carolina to pass within the range otmy guns
In order to save, as far as is lii my power,tht
she GGing Of blood, | beg YOU to take due NO
ticc Of my decision hoping, however, tha
your answer may Justify u further coniinu
ance Of ny forbearauce.
(Sigred) ROBERT ANDERSON.
To this the governor replies and afte
stating the position Of South Carolina, de
ciares that any attempt to send government
troops to reinforce the forts will be regarded
as an act of hostility, and be adds that an
attempt to reinforce Fort Sumter or to re
take any Of the fonts within the waters OF
South Carolina viii be regarded as coerciv
Of The state. lie says that his special agents
Of the bar, have warned vessels with troop
:or Fort Sumter not to enter the harbor, an
ne says that special orders have been give
not 10 lie upon any such vessel until she
has been thrown across her bows to warn he
of the prohibition. Under such orders an
circumstances the Star Of the West was fire
into. The act is perfectly justified by me.
! Tie governor, in response to the threat. say
that Major Anderson must be the jud ge Of
his own responsibility, saying that his ow
(Anderson's) position in the harbor has onl
been "toieratcd." lie concludes by sayin
5 that the act proposed by Anderson cannot b
= reconciled with any other purpose than thu
: of your governments imposing on Sout
: Carolina the condition Of a conquered pro,
a incc.
e The messenger was again returned ,
e Charleston with reply from Major Ande
: son, who say to Gov Pickens that he deem
: it proper to refer the matter to his govern
$ ment, deferring the course indicated in tt
/, former note until the receipt of instruction
= from Washington. He asks, therefore, f,
d the sale departure and return OF Lieut. la
n bot to and from Washington. The governt
h Immediately granted every facility to Lie'