The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-08-20


inissionors en- tho 2sth Of DccemDor. an utter ig
md Oh ontiro incredulity as to thoir hostile dc
signs? Would ho hayo becn ablo 10 say q 3 liz
TINT South Carolina would DO guilty Of the bas,
peridy Of attacking any ofthcso forts and that she
had always stronuoously dcncd that such was ho,
| TINT State had demanded tho surrender OF For
Sumter and had enforced his demand by tho state
ment thnt such was tho excitement Of tho masso.
OF tho people that "something Of tho kind bo mol
done nc ltho Gorcrnor) would not answer for the
consequences? 2"
Mol These aro "darnnod spots" that must
"out Of tho old mans molnory and out, If possi.
bio, from tho book Of history.
There is another point that is worthy OF noto in
tho Letter Of Mr. Tr9scott II states referring to
/ that Buchanan "had accepted tho resignation oi
tho Oldest, most eminent and highest mombor Of
tional forco" to tho forts in Charleston Hsrbor.
On this Bamo subject buchanan Isays in his book:
"0a this reaignaticn and tho circumstances pre-;
What generous forbenrancol
NO now como to another stage Of tho histor y
that WAS boing made in Charleston Hhrbor. On
turbed the status" by removing from Fort Moul-
trie to Fort Sumtor-an act which Mr. Buchanan
ayows 'sfled him with astonishmont and regret, u
] OF interesting orders and ropo,ts covering tho
| m htary stops takon by tho authorities OF South
Carolina for tho occupation Of the other forts IN
tho harbor vol as tho operations Tor tho reduo
| tion OF Fort Sumter.
In an order dated Charleston, December AZ,
Gov Pickons commands ono Col. Pettgrow to az
semble the Washington Light Infantry anl tho
| Mcaghcr Guards" ut tho Citadel, and tako moa-
sures for occupying Castle Pinckney.. On tho
Bamo day ho orders Lieutenant Colonel DeSaus-
s'if5, with HO1 m5n, to take Possession OF Su-
yanls Island. Ile adds: "You are to act with tho
greatost discretion and prudence, and 10 let it bo
known that you take possession n ths name OF tho
Of tho extraordinary movements executed last
night in relation to Fort Moutrie"- which OF
Of Fort sumtor. Two days Aiterward, "ail the
heavy g1ns toEcrd Fort Sumter" aro ''to bo put in
Tho best e. condition witA fly supply Of amnnni-
IT," Thop, on the 1Bt OF January, 1861. "8lsjor-
General EohpisFle, Second Division South Carolina
Militia" litnaRine what RR immenso creature 'he
all tho forts and works, aud he is directed to oall
into requiHition md council tho valuable mid and
cooperation Of Brigadior-G e.:eral simons,' who
Yhpe far all had beon well, but Simons sudden
soc what PiokGns piah' Ct defence sn4 offence was,
and on this same Lat OF January Honla TO tho
Governor report the reyerae OF Complimentary TO
| thai personago's strategio acumon. Ho cannot
st SqHs mnsps SSeno s1d s
@eas q the doycEnot's alap6sitiona: Arc not ths
""
aass q saIipmqhieation which arc Iho prime CON
s;dcrss s''"nR Of d G6hgrsl, directly within tho
range and efIect 1.-Two power OF Fort Sumter Is not
Fort Moultrie wholly untei.:ble And oven u o1f
people should retro to tho sand ,...! Ella what ID 10
be expected of an unequal contest betWoon
pined veteran troops and raw militia who never
saw battlc2" AS for Fort Johnson. "a few shclls
retire from our position" and Morris Island Dat
tory LIB not yet done. Tho conclusion Of tho whole
matter, your EIeeency, ia this: 81 feel il my
ed, 10 eIpress my conviction OF the inogPedioncy
of commencing actual hostilties on our aide,
that's what you had boon proposing, is it, Mr:
stateI With raw undiscipInad troops" &c.
"Doforontiauy and with great diaiqapGe,
recommend that . skilliul and educated military
was was rough both on Pickeas and the excellent
Sehniorle and that you lay matters before coun-
Gil OF wsr." Moreover simons reinforces bis con-
ordnance" But Pickons, assuming tho attitude
OF Lochiol whom ho says: "Palse Wizard, ayaunt,"
rcjoins: .'The 'concluBons' Of that report con-
Moultric and Sulliyans Island and Pinckney, aud
to abandon tho attempt 70 keep out roinforco-
monts, and, in fact, TO yield without o struggle
people and! cover our Cause with iInbeoility and
probable ruin. shall do no such thing nor shall
yield to any council Of war;" &c. And to simons
"HEApauAnTERs, Jsnnary 2, 1861.
"SIR: Your extraordinary report received last
night, and have only to say that do not pretend
that the orders and disposition OF tho f0rcos in
Charleston Harbor are at all perfect or beyond the
criticism OF military rule. But in tho frat place,
there was whom csmc TO the city, distinct
ington Itako noto OF this br. Buchanan and those
who had right to speak Tor South CaIolins, that
everything IN the harbor and all the forts slould
remain precisely they then werc, and that Nlore
should bo no lncroaso OF force or any reinforce
ments sent from abroad until our Commissioners
presented themselves at Washington and made
Hiatt FNr thn fnriu mi
confidence upon this pledge Suddenly we were
surprised, from the atop taken by Major Anderson,
now acknowledged and proclaimed by the late
violation Of tho faith OF tho Government. Ho
abandoned Fort Aoultrie and burnt and spiked
tho guns, and tho frat report was that ho do.
stroyed Fort Moultrie. he transferred the garri-
son TO Fort Sumter, which, OF course, was the
denly TO take immediate stops to Try and preyont
this ricw ordered the occupation OF Sullvan'e
Island, but not to occupy Fort Monltrio unless il
could be done without too much LOIS, md to re-
ported. They found none and TO put out tho fro
and prevent further destruction they occupied tho
fort. And the sano grounds were taken aa to Cas-
FThen follows detailed justification OF bis mill
tary measures.1
:, II was well known and readily felt, as you state
that our troops were raw and inexperienced; but,
under all the cicumstances,I 7 had no alternative
Loft bnt to do what has been DONE. And II we are
TO occupy no place because o1r troops are raw and
inexperienced, then wo will havo TO abandon tho
State for tho same reason, II forces that are regu
isr are ordored to invade it We calculated that
II wo wGro wcak 40 We're our on6mes, to cer-
tain extent. Their regular force is not strong
enough to admit Of immediate division or trans
fer. They would BIO compelled to call for volun-
teers also in the progress OF events, and, with
tho feeling IN tho country, there would be groat
difficulty In this operation. Tho question was
not whother we could maintain our poaition in
Charlebton Harhor, with the certainty OF assistance
and endorsements being thrown In immediately,
but whether in the present peculiar state OF the
who arc incapable Of being divided or any dotach.
ment being sent from it to occupy any post their
guns might drive Us from-whother, under all
these crcnmetances, We were capable OF mainteiu-
ing our position for tho present, 80 as to pro-
vent reinforcomenta, and TO sustain tho diroct
and urgent request from our Commissioners
at Washington, hoping that overy day might
change events, go as to enable lib TO protect the
State in tho attitude she has nssumcd OF imIno-
diato independence LII
F.w. pIoKENs.
Aftor this matters Heem to hayo worked moro
smoothly, for Schnierle il suddenly reported up-
we'll, and SmonB, who had urged the fmportaudo
OF "a skilled and educated military man." was
hinself put In command, which probably sntis1ed
him. Ihen, on tho 9th OF January, We hhyo an
order from Pickens, commanding Col Guynn
Whito and IEapior, Engineers, and Col. MapigauIt;
Ordnance Olicsr, TO "come together immediately
and consitler and report tho most favorable plan
for operating npon Fort Sumter, 80 as to reduce
that fortress, by batteries or other means in our
possession" On tho 10th theso officers reply.
submitting q plan, from which I may make. an
o3tract;
.tWe are unanimously and decidedly OF tho