The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1871-11-24
Death Of General Anderson

Oh EOEG OuuJOA, O1eQ db NlCS, III
France, on Thursday, Oct. 26th.
Gen. Anderson was born near
Louisville, KY, in.1805. His father
was Col. Richard c. Anderson, q rev.
olutionary soldier, and his mother a
cousin of Chief Justice Marshall.
He entered WestPoint when sixteen
wears old. He served with distinc-
too in the wars against the Sac and
Seminole Indians, and was promoted
to be Captain. He went with Gen.
Scott to Mexico in 1847, took part
in tho capture of Vera Cruz, and was
brevetted Major for gallant conduct
at the battle Of Molino del Rev,
where, although severely wounded
in the shoulder early in the action,
he led the band that first entered the
Molino, and held his position until
the enemy's works were captured.
The bullet received that day he
carried as long as he lived and suf-
fered much from it. In 1854 he
commanded the branch military
asylum at Hsrrodsburg, Kentucky,
of which he was the founder. In
1850 he was assigned to duty on the
commission to investigate the condi-
ton Of West Point.
In November, 1860, he took COM
mRnd of the defenses of Charleston
harbor, with his headquarters in
Fort Moultrie. South Carolina
seeded, and the rebels began to
erect batteries all around him. Feel
ing certain that the safety of his
command demanded it, and unable
to get any orders from the War De-
partment, Gen. Anderson took the
responsibility of removing his little
band to Fort Sumter. This was done
on the night Of Dec. 26th, 1860. The
fort was only partially finished and
had but few guns. The garrison
consisted Of 81 men and about thirty
workmen. Every effort was made to
put the place in as good a condition
IS possible, but little could be done.
For three months and g half he was
shut up unable to hear a word from
the department, and uncertain how
the government and the country
would look upon what he had done.
A feeling of awful dread lest he by
doing his duty had hastened the
breaking out of civil war, added to
the two stormy, hopeless days on the
nervous disorders from which, on
Thursday, he died.
Meantime the Star Of the West
was sent to enforce him, but failed
to enter the harbor. On Jan. II he
refused to treat the surrender Of the
fort. On April IL he peremptorily
refused to surrender, the rebel bat
teries opened fire on the fort, land the
war began. All of us remember the
day the sound of that cannon was
heard throughout the land, and the
waiting to hear of the fate of the he
roic man. For thirty six hours the
fierce bombardment went on. Shot
and shell were poured in from batter
les surrounding Sumter on three
sides. On the afternoon of the 18th,
the barracks caught fire, and the lit
tie garrison, unable longer to reply
to the enemy's fire, surrendered, and
the next morning marched out with
all the honors Of war.
Gen. Anderson sailed for New
York, and was enthusiastically gree
ted by the country. In May he was
appointed Brigadier- General, and,
though his health was broken down,
and his physicians demonstrated, be
went to the command of the Depart
met of Kentucky and the Cumber-
land, to which he had been assigned.
Here he had Generals Sherman and
G. H. Thomas as his lieutenants;
but before work began he was com
PEELED, by his Worn-out body, to re-
tire from his command and has never
since taken any active part in the
service.
In addition to his military duties,
Gen. Anderson translated and adap-
ted instructions for Field Artillery,
Horse and Foot, Arranged for the
Service of the United States Army"
and "Evolutions of Field Batteries
Of Artillery" now used in the service.
After the close of the war he lived
in New York City till 1869, when he
went to Europe to recover his health.
For two years he has moved about.
vainly seeking what he was never to
find, till Thursday, at Nice, where,
surrounded by his family, he died.
His nephew, son of Mr.. Larz An
derson, of this city, was also with
him. He leaves a widow IA daughter
of Gen. Clinch, of Ca, and four
children.
His private life was worthy of the
man. A true, consistent Christian,
one of the most modest men that
has ever lived, the hero of Sumter
has passed away.