Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1864-07-14
-HE PRISONERS IN CEsAHLEsrcu.
REPLY OF MAJOR GENERAL SAM. JONES TO MAJOR GEN,
ERAL FOSTER.


REPLY OF MAJOR GENERAL SAM. JONES TO MAJOR GEN
ERAL FOSTER.
HEADQUARTERS,
DEPARTMENT 5. O., Ga, AND FLA, \
Charleston, June %, 1864
GENERAL: Your letter Of the 9Th, in reply to inine
OF the 18th Instant, has been received:
AS We have both been recently assigued TO oar rt-
spectve commands, it may be well that we should ur-
dersfaud correctly the circumstances under which the
IRE on this city was commenced and has been contir
ued 1cu, think, seem to be under Gome mlsap pre-
pension in regard 20 the matter.
First, you in0ccurateIy that before opeu;ng
ire On this city Major General Gilmore, in accordance
with the usages Of civilized warfare, notified General
beauregard OF his intention, in order "that combat
ants might be removed, aud thus women and children
be spared from harm.
Secondly, you evidently mestate the object of the
Dombardment.
l. On the 2lst of August as letter without sig
nature sent from Major General GilImores head
quarters to General Beauregard informing him that
less certain extraordinary conditions were complied
With, If reply thereto was received within four
~ hours after the delivery OF the letter Battery
Wagner, for Transmission to Charleston fire would ba
npentd On the city from batteries already established
Gea. Beauregard racev2d that letter after eevtn {ll)
O'Clock night, and ~ hours later when the Oh
in profound repose, Maj Gen. Gilmore opened fire
it, and threw lumber of the most destructive pro
ectfes ever before used, amidst the sleeping and
armed population. II MAJ. Gen Gilmore only desire
90 through the barren OF giving notice of bis
intention, without allowing the conhatans time TO
withdraw, would have accomplished that useless enc
in his haste and eGgerntss 10 begin bis wicked WoIk
he had not forgotten to sign SO important letter
The time flowed Was our ~ hours from The detiv-
cry Of the letter at Battery Wogner Tor transmission
o Gen. auregards Hca tqoarters, five miles distant
Maj Gen. Gilmore knew very we'll that, III the ordln
airy course OF trarsm sslon ali the time allowed would
eapse before he could receive reply to his demand,
aud be knew quite we'll that it impossible Ia ths
brief space of time allowed, to remove the non combat
anita OF large ard pui0us city 1t Is cea therefore
hat due time WAS MT lows d and that the lacJ i
The notification was not "thQt c0m6at0ntS might be
REMOVED"
II. Yea say: "Many months since Major General
Gilmore U. A, noufod General Beauregard Chen
Commanding at Charles on) that the city would be
nOmbarded, This Uoice was given that non conabUf
ants maeht be -en1oUed ard thus and children
be spared from HARM"
That city is depot for military supplies. It con-
ans lot merely asenas, but also fouD6res and acto'
lies for the manufacture Of munitions Of war. In It's
shipyards several afmed ror-cads have been arta7y
completed, wbie others still upon tie stccks IL
course construction. It's wharyes and the banks Ct
The rivers both sides of tie city are lined with oSt
eries. To destrG9 these of containing the war
l9 therefore, cur object and duly"
Ne or General Gilmore says IN his letter or the Isl
OF Aue ust last to General BoaurtgaTd have the
honor TO demand OF you the Immediate evacuation Q,
Morris island and Fort Sumter by the Confederate
torcae The present condition of Fort Sumter, and the
rapid end progressive destruction which 1t s under
going from my batteries seem to render Its complete
demolition within few hours a matter OF certainty
All my heaviest guns have not yet opened.
Should you refuse compliance with this demand, or
should receive reply thereto within four hours after
it is delivered into the hands Of your subordinate at
Fort Wagner for transmission, shall open ire on the
City of Charleston from batteries already established
within easy and effective (rapge) OF the heart OF the
CITY,"
He proposed to fire OF ha city OF Charleston to e.
force the surrender Of Morris Island and Fort Sumter
His language admits of 90 doubt. The price OF reu
sal to comply with his demands the threatened de-
structcn of the City Of Charleston tor he resorts to
such pretex that he would destroy batteries ship
yards roncads, aIsenas oundries and d2pots of sup
plies. He says: 81 shall open fire on the C1y OF
Char lesion from batteries already established within
easy and effective (range) CT the heart Of the city, where
Icy the sleeping women and Children tbs anticipated
victims OF his wicked purpose.
The OH ect Of the fire. according to Maj General
Gilmore, was to enforce The surrender of All important
fort which he could not reduce for after withsaDdog
for nearly year the most formidable Commandment
from land aud naval batteries before directed
one FORT the Confederate flag still flies Fort Sum
ter Failing in that, bis next object was to destroy
the city to It's very heat to make it unnhabitab!e
| by nou conbatants.
Independently of the declaration Of Major General
Gilmore that his purpose was to reach tie heart Of
the city, the manner IN &hch the fire has been direct
ed from the shows beyond dOnbt that its
object was the destruction OF the city itself and every
part OF it, and not you assume, to destroy certain
military and naval works D, and Immediately around it.
For if tt works you mention have been the marks the
fire. hes been singuiary wild and Inaccurate, that
who has witnessed IL would suspect lts obec
The shells have been thrown at radon, at any ard
all hous, day and night falling pomiscuousy ID tn
heart of The city at points remote from each other and
from the works you mention. Many, L believe the
greater number Of them, have he5n thrown IN the night
when it impossible 20 See the object fred a.. They
have fallen in been concentrated for al time
upon any particular Ice lily, would have been the
CASE If directed On particular liked otjact tor night
firing out they have searched tie city in eve direc
tion ind eating purpose or eXpectalon On the part
of those directing the fe OF accomplishing any tary
result, bu rather design OF destroying priv pro ecy
aud Hug some persons 10 matter wh0m niOst pa ooa
bly, and children quietly sleeping 10 tfeir &c
Gus omed beds 4 few weeks nee batwe l ard 2
o'l ck at night, Ole Oh your shells passed within too
of tie bed occupied by man AID his wife. ia, y
were OF the class your people dan0miDaFe Ame7
con citizens of ffrican deScent," aid more than
hAE mile from the nearest naval or military work -
Again, your fire has been SO slow ttaS almost any
damag, save the G. ance explosion of magaZ ne, TIA
yOu could reasonably expect sho 10 tH1ct, cOu c
rdinarliY BE- repaired before the next shot could
fired The object of your f!e may be u1g
Cd ot by is th-ct. lie has never suspend d Tor an
SAINT, the labor Or in aGy mil ary or naval work
factory, oundry, al or depot OF supplies. Il ha;
ueVeI Killed or wounded far as an Iearn, solie
or laborer eugnged thereon. But IL has damaged :
numbr or private houses In the heart Of the city,
killed a-d wounded some n0n-combatantg. Indeed, i
seems that, with the exception Of old man, al
octogenar,an killed while quietly sitting by his FIRE
night the only persons killed have been a2c
child en. You know perfectly well that fire. such q
I have described could nos lave had for lis object tn
destruction of CERTAIN specf d, fixed military and nava
VOL KS But there other pecuilaritlss about ID