The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-11-16

IL was on the 9th Of January that the
Star of the West, under the American
flag, was fred upon in the harbor Of
Charleston by order of Governor Pickens
Immediately after this outrage Major
Anderson sent flag 10 the Governor,
stating that he presumed the act had
been unauthorized, and for that reason
he had not opened fire from Fort Sumter
on the adjacent batteries but demand
ing its disavowal, and, if this were not
sent in reasonable time, he would con-
slider it war, and fire on any vessel that
attempted to leave the harbor. Two days
after this occurrence, on the 18th Janu-
ary, Governor Pickens had the audacity
TO demand of Major Anderson the sur
render Of the fort.
In his answer of the same date the
Major made the following proposition
"Should your Excellency deem fit, pre-
vious 10 resort to arms, TO refer this
matter to Washington, it would afford me
the sincerest pleasure to depute one of
my officers to accompany any messenger
you may deem proper TO be the bearer of
your demand" This proposition was
promptly accepted by the Governor, and,
in pursuance thereof, he sent on his part
Hon. John w. Hayne, the Attorney Gen
eral of South Carolina, TO Washington,
while Major Anderson deputed Lieuten-
ant Hall, of the United States Army, TO
accompany him. These gentlemen ar
rived together in Washington on the even
ing of the 18th Of January, when the
President obtained the first knowledge Of
h. "a 1, -
ed that no Intervention between the re-
turn Of the Star of the West TO New
York and the arrival of the messenger
bearing a copy of the truce at Washing
ton within which it would have been
possible to send reinfOrcements 10 Fort
Sumter. Both events occurred about
the same time
Thus a truce, or suspension Of arms,
was concluded between the parties, to
continue until the question of the sur
render Of the fort should DO decided by
the President. Until this decision Major
Anderson had placed it out of his own
power TO ask for reinforcements, and
equally out Of the power of the Govern
ment TO send them without violation of
the public faith. This was what writers
on public law denOminate "a partial truce
under which hostilities are suspended
only in certain places, as between town
and the army besieging it, 1t is pos
| sible that the President, under the laws
/ of war, might have annulled this truce
| upon due notice TO the opposite party ;
! but neither General Scott nor any other
person ever suggested this eXpedient.
This would have been to cast reflection
| upon Anderson, who, beyond question,
acted from the highest and purest mo-
tives. Did General Scott ever propose 70
violate this truce during its existence
If he did I am not now, and never was,
aware of the fact. Indeed | think he
would have been one of the last men in
the world TO propose such measure.
Colonel Hayne did not deliver the let
ter which he bore from Governor Pickens,
demanding the surrender of the fort, to
the President until the 31st of January
The documents containing the reasons
for this worry ing delay were commune
Gated TO Congress in a special message OF
the Sth of February, TO which | refer
the reader. On the 9th of February, the
Secretary of War, under the instructions
of the President, gave a peremptOry re-
fusal TO this demand in an able and
4 comprehensive letter, reviewing the whole
subject, explaining and iustifying the
conduct of the President throughout. Its
concluding sentence is both eloquent and
emphatic;
"If (says Mr.. Holt), with all the null
tiplied proofs which exist of the Presi
dents anxiety for peace, and Of the ear.
nestness with which he has pursued it,
the authorities of that State shall ASSAULT
Fort Sumter, and imperil the lives of tn,
handful of brave and loyal men shut uT
within its walls, and thus plunge our
country into the horrors of civil war
then upon them and those they represent
must rest the responsibility"
The truce was then ended, and General
Scott is incorrect in stating chat it last.
ed TO the end of that Administration"
An expedition was quietly fitted ou
at New York, under the supervision OF
General Scott, TO be ready for any con-
tingency He arranged its details, anC
regarded the reinforcements thus provid.
ed for as sufficient. This was ready e
sail for Fort Sumter on five hours notice
1t is of this expedition that Gen, Scott
thus speaks:
cat that time, when this (the truce
had passed away, Secretaries Holt anC
Toucey, Capt. Ward of the navy, and my.
SELF with the knowledge of the President
settled upon the employment under th,
Captain of three or four steamers belong
ing to the Coast Survey, but this was KEEP
back by the truce"
A strange inconsistency. The truce
had expired with Mr.. Hollis letter to Col
Hayne on the 9th Of February, and Gen
eral Scott in his statement says "it would
have been easy to reinforce this fort down
to about the 18th of February" Why
then, did not the achievements proceed
This was simply because of oommunica'
tions from Major Anderson. 1t was mos
fortunate that they did not proceed; be.
cause the three or four small steamers
} which were to bear them would never
have reached the fort, and in the attempt
| nuat hava haan oanfurad Or daafrovad