The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1862-10-29
EVANSVILLE, IND. WEDNESDAY MORNING
Afterwards Secretary Holt and myself

ChQt oFOlCIy IL f1iit1 w OOeoAA q VI
war for Il e purpose, and were finally OBJ
liged to employ the passenger-steamer
" Star of the West" That vessel, but for
the hesitation of the imaster, might, as is
generally believed, have delivered at the
fort the men and subsistence on board.
This attempt at succor failing, 1 next,
verbally, submitted to the late Cabinet
either that succor be sent by ships of
war; fighting their way by the batteries,
Increasing in strength daily,) or that
Major Anderson should be left to ameli-
crate his condition by the muzzles of his
guns-that is, enforcing supplies by bonn
bardment and by bringing to merchant
vessels, helping himself (giving orders
for paymcnt,) or, finally, be allowed to
evacuate the fort, which, in that case.
would be inevitable
But, before any resolution was taken,
the late Secretary of the Navy making
difficulties about the want of suitable war
vessels, another Commissioner from
South Carolina arrived, causing further
delay. When this had passed away
Secretaries Holt and Toucey, Captain
Ward, ofthe Navy. and myself-with the
knowledge of the President, (Buchanan)
settled upon the employment, under the
Captain, (who was eager for the expedi-
ton, of three or four small steamers be-
longing to the Coast Survey. At that
time (late in january have but little
doubt Captain Ward would have reached
Fort Sumter, with all his vessels. But
he was kept back by something like
truce or armistice, made here, embra-
cling Charleston and Pensacola harbors,
agreed upon between the late President
and certain principal seceders of South
Carolina, Florida, Louisiana, &C., and
this truce lasted to the end of that Ad-
ministration.
That plan, and all others, without
squadron of war ships and a eonsidera-
Bile army-competent to take and hold
the many formidable batteries below
Fort Sumter, and before the exhaustion
of its ubsistence-having been pro-
nounced, from the change of circumstan-
ces, impracticable, by Major Anderson,
Captain Foster, (Chief Engineer,) and
all the other officers of the fort, as well
as by Brigadier General Totten, Chief of
the Corps of Engineers; and, concur
ring in that opinion, l did not hesitate to
advise March 12th) that Major Ander-
son be instructed to evacuate the fort, so
long gallantly held by him and his COM
psnions, Immediately on procuring suiti-
bic transportation to take them to New
York His relative weakness had steadi-
ly increased in the last eighteen days.
1t was not till January Sd (when the
E,eJ CoY1, f-op, Con+b No.al,
ma withdrew that the permission had
solicited October 3lst was obtained to
admonish commanders of the few South
ern forts with garrisons to be on the alert
against surprises and sudden assaults.
major Anderson was not among the ad-
monished, being already straitly belea-
guered)
January Sd. To I4ient Slemmer COM
manding in Pensacola Harbor:
The Gcneral-in-C Chief directs that
you take measures to do the utmost in
your power to prevent the seizure of Ell
ther of the forts in Pensacola harbor, by
surprise or assault, consulting first with
the commander of the navy yard, who
will probably have received instructions
to cooperate with you.,' This order
was signed by Aid-de-Camp Lay.
1t was just before the surrender of the
Pensacola navy yard January 12) that
Lieut. Slemmer, calling upon Com Arm
strong, obtained the aid of some thirty
common seamen or laborers, (but no
marines,) which, added to his forty-six
soldiers, made up his number to seven
| ty-six men, with whom this meritorious
officer has since held Fort Pickens, s=seeII
performed, working night and day, an
immense amount of labor in mounting
guns, keeping up strong guard, &c, &c.
Early in January 1 renewed, as has
been seen, my solicitations to be allowed
to reinforce Fort Pickens, but good
deal of time was lost in vacillations.
First, the President thought if no move
ment is made by the United States Fort
McRae will probably not be occupied
nor Fort Pickens attacked. In case of
movements by the United States, which
will doubtless be made known by the
wires, there will be corresponding local
movements, and the attempt to reinforce
will be useless. x Quotation erom note
made by Aid-de- Camp Lay, about Jan
aary II, of the Presidents reply to a
message from me- Next, it was doubt
ed whether it would be safe to send rein
forcements in an unarmed steamer, and
the want, as usual, of suitable naval
vessel-the Brooklyn being long held in
reserve at Norfolk for some purpose un-
known to me. Finally, after l had kept
body of three hundred recruits in New
York harbor ready some time-and they
| wOuld have heen sufficient tn rninforon
temporarily Fort Pickens and to occupy
Fort McRae also-the President, about
January Is, permitted that the sloop OF
war Brooklyn should take single com.
pany, ninety men, from Fort Monroe
Hampton Roads, and reinforce Lieuten.
ant Slemmer, in Fort Pickens, but with.
out surplus man for the neighborinp
fort, McRae.
The Brooklyn, with Capt Vogdes'
company alone, left the Chesapeake for
Fort Pickens about January 22d, and
on the 10th, President Buchanan, hav.
ing entered into a quasi armistice with
certain leading seceders at Pensacola
and elsewhere, caused Secretaries Holt
and Toucey to instruct, in Joint note,
the commanders of the war vessels of
Pensacola and Lieut. Slemmer. COM
msnding Fort Pickens, to commit no act
of hostility, and not to land Captain
Vogdes' company unless that fort should
be attacked. +
l TThat ioint nota navar rau until