North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1862-11-26

Col. Scott to countermand her departure -
but It did not reach its destination until af-
ter she had gone to sea. The reason for
this countermand shall be stated in the Ian
guage ofSecretary Hol It; to be found in a let
ter addressed by him to Mr. Thompson, the
ate Secretary of the Interior, on the 5th
March, 1861, and published in the National
Inteiligeacer. Mr.. Holt says:
"The countermand spoken of (bv Mr..
Thompson) was not more cordially sanction
ed by the President than it was by Gen:
Scott and myself not because ofany dissent
from the order on the part of the President,
but because of letter received that day from
Major Anderson stating, in effect, that he re-
garded himself secure in his position; and yet
more from intelligence which late on Satur-
day evening 18th January 1861 reached
the Department, that a heavy battery had
been erected among the hills, at the entrance
to Charleston harbor, which would probably
destroy any unarmed vessel (and such was
thu star of the WesD which might attempt
to make Its way to Fort Sumpter. This i'm
portant information satisfied the Govern
ment that there was no present necessity for
sending renforcements, and that when sent
they should 60, not in vessel of commerce
bu: of war. Hence the countermand was
dispatched by telegraph to New York but
the vessel had sailed short time before it
reached the officer Colonel ScotD to whom
it was addressed"
A statement of these facts, established by
datea, proves concIusively that the President
was not only willing but anxious in The brief
est period to reinforce Fort Sumpfer.
On the 4th of January, the day before the
departure of the Star Of the West from New
York. as Gen. Scott in his statements admits,
succor was sent to Fort Taylor, Key West,
and to Font Jefferson, TorIu.as Islands.
which reached these points in time fu" their
security. He nevertheless SpeculAtes on ihe
consequences which might have followed had
the reinfOrcements not reached Their destlna-
tion in due time, and expresses the Extra r.
dinary opinion that, with the possession OF
these forts, " me rebels might have purchased
an ear. recognition"
shall next advert to the statement that
the expedition under Captain Ward, of three
or four small steamers belonging to the Coast
Survey, was kspt back by something like
truce or armlstice, [made herc,l embrace
Charleston and Pensacola harbors, agreed up
on between the late President and certain
principal seceders of South Carolina, Florida,
Louisiana &c. And this truce lasted to the
end of the administration" Things alto
gether distinct in their nature are often so
blended in this statement that it is difficult
to separate them. Such is emineutIy The case
in correcting the facts relative, tn Charleston
with Pensacola.
Having already treated Of the c1arge OF
having kept kack reinforcements fr IN nsa
cola, shall now say something of the chargr-
of having also kept them back from Cnarr~
ton. Neither truce, nor quasi trace uor
any thing like it, was ever concluded belwren
the President and any human authority con
cernlug Charleston. On the contrary, thc
South Carolina Commissioners, first aud all
the time, were Informed that the President
could never surrender Fort Sumpter, nor dc
prive himself Of the most entire liberty a.
send renforcements to it whenever II was be-
lieved to be in danger, or requested oy Mli.r
Anderson. 1t is strange that Gen. Scot
was not apprised of this well KIN VII fac
1t was then, with some aStonl>hment, that
learned from the statement of the General
that he had, on the 18th March. 1861. advi,
ed that Major Anderson shoaId he iu>rrucr,a
to evacuate the fort as soon Il, suitable trau,-
portation could be procnred TO carr hr.u
self and his command 10 New York A milr
tary necessity for capituation nav have
existed in case there should DC an attack up
on the fort, or demand for its surrender;
but surely none such could have exs led foI
its voluntary surrender and abandonment.
Probably that to which the General means
to refer was not the quasi but the actual
truce OF arms concluded at Charleston on the
llth January, 1861 between Governor Pick
ems and Major Anderson, without the knowi
edge of the Presidedt 1t was on the 9th of
January that the Star of the West, underline
American flag, was fired upon in the harbo.
OF Charleston by order Of Governor Pickcns.
Immediately after this outrage Major Ander-
son sent flag to the Governor stating that
he presumed the act had been unauthorized,
and for that reason he had not opened fir.
from Fort Sumpter on the adjacenr batteries
but demanding its disavowaI, aud if Ills wcr,
not sent II Reasonable time, he wou3 con
slider it war, aud fire on any vessel that al
tempted te leave the harbor. Two DAYS after
this occurrence, on the lllh January, Cover
nor Pickens had the audacity 10 demand of
Major Anderson the surrender VI the FORT In |