The Camden confederate. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1861-1865, 1863-08-28

Among nations not barbarous the usages of
war prescribe that, when city is about TO be
attacked, timely notice shall be given by the
attaking commander, in order that non-com-
hatants may have an opportunity for withdraw
ing beyond its limits. Generally the time al
lowed is from one to three days-that is, time
for the withdrawal, in good firth, of at least
the women and children. You, sir, give only
four hours, knoe0ing that your notice, under ex-
isting circumstances, could not reach me in
less than two hours. and that not less than the
same time would be required for an answer to
be conveyed from this city to Battery Wagner,
With this knowledge, you threaten to open fire
on the city, MOTTO oblige its surrender, but to
force me to evacuatc these works, which you,
assisted by great paval force, have been at
tacking in vain for more than forty days.
Batteries Wagner and Gregg and Fort Sum
ter arc nearly due north from your batteries on
Morris Island, and in distance therefrom vary
ing from half mile to two and a quarter miles;
this city, on the other hand, is to the north
west, and quite five miles distant from the bat
terry opened against it this morning.
1t would appear, sir, that, desparing of re-
Gucing these works, YOU now resort to the
rovc measure of turning your guns against the
old men, the women and children, and the hos
pitfalls of sleeping city; an act of ineXcusable
barbarity from your own confessed point Of
sight, inasmuch as you allege that the "com-
L a.. l. ~, ..:.l,.
hours by your guns seems to you "a matter Of
certainty"
Your omission to attach your signature to
such grave paper, must show the rccklessness
of the course upon which You have adventurcd.
While the facts that YOU knowingly fixed a
limit for receiving an answer to your demand,
which made it almost beyond the possibility of
receiving any reply within that time, and that
you actually did open fire and throw number
of the most destructive missiles ever used in
war, into the midst of city taken unawares.
and filled with sleeping women and children,
will give you bad cminence in history-even
in the history OF this war.
l am ony y surprised, sir, at the limits You
have set to your demand. If, in order to at :
tain the abandonment of Morris Island and
Fort Sumter you feel authorized to fire on this
city, why did YOU not also include the works
on Sullivan's and James Islands-nay, even
the city of Chareston-in the same demand?
Sin ce you have felt warranted in inaguratng
this method of reducing batteries in your i'm
mediate 'front.' which were found otherwise i'm
pregnabe, and a mode of warfare which | con-
fidently declare to be atrocious and unworthy
of anv soldier, now solemnly warn you, that
if you fire again on this city from your Morris
Island batteries, without granting somewhat
more reasonable time to remove non-combat
ants, shall fee. impelled to employ such
stringent means of retaliation as may be avail
able during the continuance of this attack.
Finally, reply, that neither the works on
Morris Island or Fort Sumter will be evacuated
on the demand you have been pleased to make.
Already, however, / am taking measures to re-
move, with the utmost possible celebrity, all non
combatants-who are now fully aware cf, and
alive to, what they may expect at your hands.
Respectfully, sir,
Your obedient servant
(Signed) u. L. BEAUREGARD,
General Commanding.
To Brigadicr General Q. A. Gilmore, COM
manding U. S. Forces, Morris Island.
TO this, a rcioinder was received Yesterday
afternoon, in which General Gilmore extends a
notification that he would suspend his fire" un-
til IL p. m. tomorrow" Sunday, in order to
give time for the removal of non-cOmbatants