The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1863-09-11
The Firing on Charleston.
Beauregard's Letter to Gilmore-.--Gil-
more's Reply
Charleston. s. c., Aug. %, ]


Sir last night, al 10 "a O'Clock dur
ing my absence on reconnaissance of 70 y
fortifcatioa. communication was receiv-
ed at these headquarters, dated Head,
quarters department Of the South, Morri.
Island S. c. Aug 81, 1863" demanding
the Immediate evacuation Of Morris Is
land and Fort Sumter by the confederate
forces" on the alleged grounds that /" the
present condition eff Fort Sumter and the
rapid and progressive destruction which i,
1. undergoing from nv batteries seems TO
render its complete demolition within a
Few hours matter Of certainty )" and tha,
If this demand were mot complied with
or no reply thereto was received within
four hours after it is delivered into the
hauds Of your (my) subordinate command
or at Fort Wagner for transmission" fire
would be opened ION the city Of Charles
ton from batteries already Established with
in easy and effective range Of the heart OF
the city" This communication to my al.
dress was without signature, and was o.
course returned.
About l | = o'clock one Of your batter
les did actually open f;e and throw
number Of shells into the city, the inhab-
itan.s of which, Of course, were sleep and
unwarred.
About 9 o'clock t!s morning the csm-
muucaiien alluded 10 above was returned
10 these headquarters. bearing your recog>
niZed official signature, and it can now be
noticed As your deliberate official act.
Among nations not arharou. tie u.ages
Of war prescribe tina, when a city is about
to be attacked. timely notice shall be given
bv the attacking commander, IN order tha,
non-cosn ba'ants NAV have an opportunity
for Withdrawing bey ond its Limits Gen
orally, the time allowed i, from one to
three days; that is, time for the withdraw
ing in good faith Of at least the women and
children. You sir, give only four hours,
knowing that your notice, under existing
circumstances, could not reach me IN less
than two hons. and that not less than the
same time would lie required for an answer
to be conveyed from this city to Battery
Wagner With this knowledge, you
threaten TO epen fire on this city, not to
oil ge It's surrender, bat to force me to
cvacuste these works, which you sisted
bT grea, naval force, have been attack
ing in vain for more than forty days.
Batteries Wagner and Gregg and Fort
Sumter arc nearly due north from your
batteries on Morris Island, and in distance
sherefrom varying from half mile to two
and quarter miles. This city on the 9TH
er hand, is TO the north west and quite five
mile. distant from the battery opened
against it this morning.
It would appear. air. that desparing Of
reducing these works, you now resort to
the novel measure Of turning your guLs
against the old men, the women and chill
dIen, and the hospitals Of a sleeping city,
an act Of inexcusable lorhariv from your
own confessed poin, Of sigh ipa.ncch as
the complete demolition Of Fort Sumter
within few hour. BY veur guns seems to
you matter of certainty"
Your omission TO attach your signature
TO such grave paper must show the reck-
leskness ofthe course upon which you have
advenured While the facts that yon
knowingly fixed a limit for receiving An
answer to your demand which made it al
most beyond the possibility Of receiving
any reply within thai time and tha. YOU
actually did open fire and threw a numter
oil the most destructive missiles ever used
in war into the miitst of a citv taken una
wares, and filled with sleeping women and
children, will give you a bad emnence"
in history even 10 he history Of this war.
am Only surprised, sir; at the limits
you have set to your demands. If in or
der to attain the abandonment of Morris
Island and Fort Sumter YOU feel author,
lied 10 fire on this city, why did YOU not
include the work. on SuIiyan's and James
Isand-nav. even the city of Charleston,
In the same demand
Since YOU have felt warranted in nau
Cura.eng this n,cthod Of reducing batter
les in your immediate front which were
found otherwise impreCnable. and mode
Of warfare which | confidently declare to
he atiocious and worthy Of any soldier.
now soemn|y warn you that if YOU fire
again on this city from your Morris Island
batteries without giving a somewhat more
reasonable time 10 remove non con,batants
l shall feel compelled TO employ such
stringent means Of retaliation as may be
available during the continu lnce 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. | am
taking measures to remove ali non-com
batan.s, who are new fully aware Of and
olive 10 wi al they may expect at your
hand.
Respectfully, Your o1edion. servant,
G.. T. BEAUREGARD,
General Commanding.