The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1863-09-10
The Siege of Charleston.

The Siege of Charleston.
Gen. GiUmore's Letter IN Reply to
Beauregards Protest.
WAsHlNeToN, Ssptember3.
The following Is Gen. GilIn'ore's re-
ply in brief, notice Of which has been
published in the rebel papers, Ia Gu.
Beauregard's Communication already
printed at length:
"DEPARTMEST OF The SouTH,
HEADQUARTERS THA FIELD.
MoRRs ISLAND. ). c., Up. m, Aug. -.
c"SIR have The honoriloE Ackno~l-
edge the receipt of your tcSn,munics
ton of this date, complaining that one
Of ny batteries bad opened on the city
of Charleston aud thro~ll a tlumber OF
heavy rifle shells int" the city, the in
habitants of which Ut course were
asleep and uiiarmed. - ora fsfi'se
~'.My letter to you, demanding the
surender OF Fort Sumter and Norris
Island and threalelinng, In default
thereof, TO, open fire upon Chalest'is,
was delivered near Fort Wagner, III
IL. Is q. m. Of the, 2lst m>ls,ii, AID
should have arrived at onr headquar-
tsrs in time to have permitted y,'ur am
9 aver to reach ms within the limit as /
aligned, namely, four hours. The fact
that you were absent IRON your head
quarters at the time at It's arrival may
be regarded as an unfortunate circu,n-
stance for the city of Charleston, but
it is one for which 81. arly am not re
L. 4.
headquarters, and Was officially deIiv
cred by an officer OF my staff. The III
advertent 7omisson. of my signature
doubtless affords ground for special
pleading, but it is not the argument ct
q commander soEcitous only TOR the
safety OF sleeping women aud children,
. and unarned men,. fsr sf
IN Your threats of retaliation, for acts
of mine, witch you do not allege TO be
In violation Ut the usages OF civilized
warfare, except AS regards the length
of time allowed, are passed by without
seomment. j VIII, how ever, cali your
attention TO the Weir established pm
clpls that the commander of place
attacked, but not invested, having his
avenues of escape open aud practical
BILE, has no. right To. a notice sof al, IN
,tenlion of Lombar,ilnent, other than
that which is evenly the threatening
attitude OF his adversary. Even had
not this letter been written, the city of
Charleston has had, according To- Your
swn computatipn, forty days notice Ut
her danger. During that tine, m, at
L.. Il. f.,
progressed. The ultimate object of
that attack has at no Time been doubt
full. III under the circumstances, the
Life OF . single non comtatant is ex-
posed to peril by the. bombar.ilneut of
ths city, the Responsibility rests with
those who have hrst tailed to r, move
the noncombatants, or to secure. The
safety of the city, atteI having held
control !, of all lis .approaches tor a
period Of nearly two years and halt,
In the presence of threatening force,
andiw afterwards refused to accept
the terms upon which the lombard
ment might have been postponed.
sFrom various sources, official and
otherwise, / ain led to believe that most
OI Tie WOtuou anu Gil VI Otidt us
ton were long since removed from II at
city, but, upon your assurance that the
city is still full vi Them. shall suspend
the bombardmeDt until IL O'Clock p. IL.
o-morrow, thus giving y"u two day s
from the time you acknowledge To have
received my communication u the 2Ist
inst. ~ a iifi 'os Gs -iscs'e sai
"Very respectfully, your obedient servant.
20. A. GILLM0kE.
$500 10 l21 "Brig Gen. Commanding.
ITO Gen. p. 7. BEAUREGARD, Commanding Con-
"federate Forces, Charleston, 5. G"
a. Itappears the Spanish and British
,Consuls respectively addressed Gen.
Gilmore OIL behalf of the subjects OF
their countries in Charlestpn,- aud he
shserfully suspended the b"Inbardlnent
for twenty four hours, u give them
time to leave the city. Nothing was
farther, be says, from Lis wish, than TO
sndanger their lives and property.