The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-09-11

a number of heavy shells into the city. the
Inhabitants OF which were of course asleep
and unwarned
About 9 O'Clock this morning the COM
munication alluded to was returned to
these headquarters, bearing your recog-
nized official signature, and it can now
be noticed as your deliberate official act.
Among nations not barbarous, the usages
OF war prescribe that, when city is about
to be attacked, timely notice shall be given
by the attacking commander, in order
that nOn-combatants shall have an oppor-
tunity of withdrawing beyond it's limits.
Generally the time allowed is from one
to three days, which is time for the with
drawal in good faith of at least the wo-
men and children. You, sir, gave only
four hours, knowing that your notice under
existing circumstances could not reach
me in less than two hours, and 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, not to oblige its
surrender, but to force me to evacuate
those works which you, assisted by a
great naval force, have been attacking in
vain for more than forty days.
Batteries Wagner, Gregg, and Fort
Sumter are nearly due north from YOUR
batteries on Morris Island, and, in distance
therefrom, varying from half mile to two
and quarter miles. This city, on the
other hand, is to the northwest, and quite
five miles distant from the battery opened
against it this morning. 1t would appear,
sir, that, despairing of reducing these
works, you now resort to the novel meas
ure of turning your guns against the old
men, the women and children, and the
hospitals of a sleepy city-an act of mex
cusable barbarity from your own confessed
point of sight, inasmuch as you allege that
the complete demolition of Fort Sumter
within few hours by your guns seems to
you matter of certainty. Your ommis-
sion to attach your signature to such
grave paper must show the recklessness of
the course upon which you have adven-
tured, while the facts that you knowingly
fixed limit for receiving an answer to
your demand which made it almost beyond
the possibility of receiving any reply with
in that time, and that you actually did
open fire and threw 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 eminence in history,
even in the history of this war;
l am only surprised, sir, at the limits
you have set to your demands. If, in Or
der to obtain the abandonment of Morris
Island and Fort Sumter, you feel author
lied to fire on this city, why did you not
include the works on Sullivan's and James
Island hay, even the city of Charleston,
in the same demand?
Since you have felt warranted in inau-
gurating this method Of reducing batteries
in your immediate front, which were 9TH
erwise impregnable, and mode of war
fare which l confidently declare to be at
trocious and unworthy of any soldier,
now solemnly warn you that, if you fire
again on this city from your Morris Island
batteries without giving a somewhat more
reasonable time to remove the non-com-
batants, shall feel compelled to employ
such stringent means of retaliation as may
be available during the continuance of
this attack.
Finally, reply that neither the works
on Morris Island nor Fort Sumter will be
evacuated on the demand you have been
pleased to make. Already, however, l am
taking measures to remove non-combat
ants, who are now fully aware and alive to
what they may expect at your hands.
Respectfully, your obedient servant
G. L. BEAUREGARD.