The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-08-19
THE SECRET HISTORY OF EuR1 sumIER.
Unpublished Rebel Documents.

bOrt 5umter,n the Times publishes collection
@fRebel documents, obtained in South Carolina
which throw some light upon the movements
which immediately preceded the war. It appears
from letter written by Governor Pickens. of
South Carolina, addressed to President Buchanan
on the 18th Of December, 1860, that the Rebels
demanded possession of the forts in Charleston
harbor three days before the South Carolina
Convention passed the ordinance of secession.
This letter is as follows;-
GOVERNOR PIcKENs TO BUCHANAN.
(Stricty Conhdential.)
COLUMBIA, December II, lssu.-My Dear sir;-Witb
Asncere desire to prevent collision OF force have
thought proper 20 address you directly and truth
I am autheutlcally in formed that the forts in
Snadiesto2 % N har39. are now belng thoroughly pre-
teror and the CITY,. Jurisdiction was ceded by this
from foreign Invasion and not with any view that
IN an ordinary case Of mob rebellion, perhaps it
might be proper to prepare them for sudden out
reign aSse%Sed eeTmne ae I5se 10 IN resume sSys
nsT Spgg9a powers to separate and independent
no Gpger an act Of rebellion therefore most
stop 70 for the present. and that no more force may
The regular Convention Of the people of the State
o. soutn Narolna, legally and properly called under
the grRvest aud most momeutous questions, and tine
excitement of the great masses OF the people great
under sense Of deep wrongs, and a prOfou, neces-
sity OF doing something to preserve the peace and
To spare the effusion of blood, which no human
power may be able 70 prevent, earnestly beg your
attention to. 1t is not improbable that under orders
manderin- Chief of the army, the alteration and de-
lenses Of those posts are progressing without the
The arsenal in the city Of Onarle,ton, with the
T % s@ 3 desne TSs turned m % s
a. the prgen, request OF the Governor Of South Caro-
devotion the publlo peace, request that you would
allow me to send SIN all force not exceeding twenty
m Of Enrf
Sumter Immediately, in order to give a feeling OF
States troops in that fort whatever or perhaps only
men or lssorers lately employed te put the guns in
Oidteri Sumter oor,d no o,vor 70 mn co,,0ror
under permission similar to that by which the Gov
ernor was permitted to Keep the arsenal, with the
mink the public mind would be quieted, under feel
authority, IL strikes that tcould be done with per
feet propriety. need not go Into particulars, for
II som eIhing OF the kind be not done, cannot
Isend this by private and confidential gentlemen
and TO receive through him any answer you may
IhaVehe honor to be, most respectfully truly
To othe President of the United States.
This letter was taken to Washington by d. II.
Hamilton, who styled himself ',Major First
Regiment South Carolina Volunteers On his
return he reported to Governor Pickens that
he sought and procured private interview
with President Buchanan, through the aid of
Mr.. W. H. Trescott, that the letter was read in
their presence, and that to Major Hamilton's
request that an answer was desired at the
earliest moment possible, Buchanan replied that
an ans wer would be returned on the following
day, the 21st.
THE LETTER WITHDRAWN.
In the meantime, however, Mr.. Trescott
became alarmed at the contents of the letter.
and after consulting with General Bonham and
General Mcqueen, the three telegraphed to
Governor Pickens for authority to withdraw the
hfa Atnto oil ,ns,,
morning of the 2lst Mr.. Trescott received the
msslve back from Mr.. Buchanan. The motive
for this action on the part of Mr.. Trescott and
Generals Bonham and Mcqueen would be left
in obscurity but for letter of the former to
Governor Pickens, explaining fully the reasons
that prompted them. This letter tells Governor
Pickens that the withdrawal of the letter
was most opportune; that President Bu-
Chanan had removed Colonel Gardiner (the
predecessor of Major AndeIson) from COM
mand at Fort Moultrie, "for carrying am
munition from the arsenal at Charleston; that
Buchanan had refused to send relntorcements
to the garrison there. That he had accepted
the resignation of the Oldest most eminent and
highest member of his Cabinet General Cass),
rather than consent to send additional force;'
that the writer felt assured that, at the moment
Buchanan could not have gone to the extent of
action you desired ito wit, the giving up of Fort
Sumter), and that if forced to answer the letter
then, he would have taken such ground as would
have prevented his even approaching 1t here
after; "that the writer was perfectly satisfied
the 'status of the garrison would not be dis
turbed;" and that the withdrawal of the letter
S'was great relief to the President, who is
most earnestly anxious TO avoid an issue with
the State or its authorities, and think has en-
couraged his disposition to go as Tar as he can
In this matter"
ANDERsoR's OCCUPATION OF FORT SUMTER.
= South Carolina troops having been ordered by
Pickens to the forts ia Charleston harbor, two
days after Anderson's occupation OF Fort sum-
ter, Brigadier-G General Sim0ns informed Plckens
that the Rebel forces had been placed in unite.
nabe positions, lnasmuch as Sumter commanded
all the other forts. Simons recommended the
calling of council of war to decide upon
this question, but Pickens refused, writing as
folloWs:-
HEADQUARTERS, January 2, lssE-sir:-YouI ex
only that do not pretend that the orders and
disposition of the forces IN Charleston harbor are al
But In the first place. there was when came to this
city q distnct pledge of faith between the Govern
and those who had a right to speak for South Caro-
ma That everything In the harbor, and all the torts
should De no increase OF force or any rein
SIoSeps Ien@ sent from abroad until our commits
,,Se mage regular negotiation Tor the forts I acted
were suTpSised rrp s ns Is pledge suddenly e %
taH seLson now acknowledged and proclaimed by the
violation of the faith OF the GoVernBen ps ne absn
10neG fors Moultre and burned aud spiked the guns
Mopre he transferred the garrison @ e
ositio1 o. g'9hse hss WAS WAS the strong and commanding
ssePs 70 1Ty ana prevent the further destTucton
patton of sulvans Island but nop 4prHered % the oc
Moultrle unless IL could be done ith0nf To 1OI
mines reported. They found nope and II tnere wer
the fire and prevent further destruction tbe 20 put 9u
Castle Pinckney." e 'ANen as u
In another letter Plckens refused to oviald :,
any council of war; Nevertheless a Come;