The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-09-08
Gen Gil!morO'. Reply 10 Cen. Roau.
regard.

Wednesday, sept 2, 1868.
The following is Gen. Gillmore's re-
ply, brief notice Of which has been
published from the r bel papers. 10 Gen.
Beauregard's communication, already
printed az length:
DErARTMENr or THE SouqTt,
HrAlQUARrERs IN THE FIELD,
MORRIS lsLAND, sc, Q p. m Aug. ~, '6S.S
SIR have the honor 20 aoknow edge
the receipt of your Communication of this
date, complaining that one Of my batter
lea had opened upor the City If Uharles-
Ton, aud thrown a number of heavy re
fie shelle into the city, the inhabitants
OF whieh' OF course, were asleep and IN.
armed.
My letter to you, demanding the sur
reDd'r Of Fort Sum'er and Morris Island,
and threatening, in default thereof, to
open are upon Charleston, was delivered
near Flrt Wasner OF HE o'clock .. m.
Of the 2l,t inst, and shoul have arrived
at your headquarters in time TO have per-
INIT 'd your answer TO reach me within
tae limits assigned, namely, four hours.
Tue fact that you were absent from
your headquarters at the time of ito ar
rival may be regarded as an unfortunate
Circumstance for the city of Charleston,
out IL is one for which | clearly am not
responsible This letter bore date attn
headqua ters, and was officially delivered
by an officer Of my staff. The inadvert-
ent omission OF my signature dnubtle
Affords grounds fir special pleading.
But IL 10 not the argumsnto Of command.
rr solicitous only for the safety Of sleep
ing women and children and unarmed
men Your threats of retaliation for Aots
of mine, Which YOU do not Rlleg- 10 he
in violation of tho ueages Of civilized
warfare, except az regards the length Of
time allowed as notice of my Intention,
are passed by without comment | will,
howev r, cal your attention % the we'll
establi 3led principle hat the commander
Of place attacked, not Invested, having
its avenues of escape open aud praotioa-
BILE, has no right to notice of an inten-
ton of bombardment other than that
which is given by the threatening atti-
tude OF his adversary, Even had not
this letter been written, the city OF
own computation, forty days notice Of
her danger Daring that time my attack
uuon her defenses has steadily progress
Cd.
The ultimats object Of that attack has
at no time been doub'ful. II under the
circumstances the life OF q single non
combltant is exposed to peril by the
bombardment Of the city, the RESPONSE
bllity resis with those who have frat
failed TO remove the nan-combAtantS or
to secure the safety OF the city after
having held control Of all its approaches
for period Of nearly Two years and
half, ia the presence Of a threatening
force, and who aiterward refused 10 &C
cept line terms upon which the lombard
ment might have been postponed. From
various sources, official aud otherwise,
am led 70 belive that most Of tine women
and children Of Charleston were long
since removed IRON that city. But
upon your assurance that the city 10 atill
tull of them, / shall suspend the bom-
bardment until II O'Clock, p. M, tO-mor-
row, thus giving you two days from the
time you acknowledged 10 have received
my communication of tho 2lst inst.
VerV res eotfully
Your obedlent servant,
Q. A, dnLM .Re,
Brig.-Gen. Commanding
Gen. p y. BEAUREaARD Commanding the
Confederate Forces, Charleston, s. q.