Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1876-05-04
MisrrIIlnfons.
The Pail of Fort sumter.
ThFtiitss -tsF,.
HY lrGENLIAvRExcE.

HY LUSENL LAwEENCE.
General Doubleday. published remiu..-
ceuces recall the history OF remarkable
period. cios ing with the fall Of Fort Sump-
ter. Few IN the North in that eveutful
year understood the cruel iana,icsIn OF the
southern leaders. or supposed that they
could possibly desire, with no apparent
provoc alton. to plunge into bloodshed and
all the crimes Of civil war. But TO Captain
Doubleday. then second In command OF the
small garrison In Charleston Harbor. their
design was perfectly plain as early as the
summer OF 1850. lie was stationed In Fort
Moultrie, wiki q garrison OF sixiy-one en-
listed men. seven ofiiCiers. and a band OF
thirteen musiclons. To defend the fort
three hundred men would scarcely have
sufiiced It's walls were crumbling into
ruin, n heap of sand had gathered against
its front. il was wholly defeuseIess on the
land side. Charleston, meantime. through
all this memorable summer, was blazing
with 4 strange excitement. It. soldiers
were constantly drilling, the nag OF the
Union floating over the harbor seemed to
excite their passionate hatred. aud they
threatened to capture the forts at the mo-
ment secession should be declared. Ed
mund Ruftin. a pro-slay-ry madman who
was noted afterward for firing the first gun
at Fort Sumter, and who. when the rebel
lion was suppressed, died By bis own hand
c$ime from Richmond. his native city. to
examine with Jealous eyes the poor defen-
ses Of the garrison. Il. B. Rhett and the
leaders Of the violent faction in the city
urged Il people 10 drive every national
official from the State. A fierce aud cruel
arisiocracy forced the small community
into hopeless rebellion, and perished at
last in their guilt.
Il could scarcely have been pleasant
summer for the little garrison in Fort
Noultrie. Colonel Gardiner who COM
manded them, was q worn-out veteran, and
a violent secessionist. He was anxious 10
abandon the tort. Captain Doubleday was
known 10 be a loyal man. and his life was
often threatened by the Charleston rebels.
They promised 10 hang him whenever he
fell ID their power. But still more danger
Gus 10 the weak garrison than all the army
OF Charleston and the threats OF the disaf
fected, at this time and for many months
afterward, was the secret treason that ruled
at Washington and controlled the admins
tratlon OF Buchanan. Abandoned by their
proper protectors, betrayed by the disoyal
head Of the war Department, Captain
Doubleday and his faithful officers and
men watched through the long days OF the
summer OF 1864. and far into the winter. and
then into the spring, for help that never
, came. They almost knew that they were
BETRAYED Colonel Gardiner refused to
permit any guns 10 be mounted, or suffer
any repairs. Floyd, the traitorous Secre-
tary Of War, who was also q defaulter for
great sum dispatched his agent and friend
| Major Fitz John Porter, TO examine their
poor defenses, and probably told their
weakness TO the enemy. Floyd sent II 900
/ ~ 20 sbat t..c,t htts han
| forty muskets were obtained by Lieutenant
Foster to enable the workmen in Forts
| Sumter and Pinckney to defend themselves,
| Floyed telegraphed an order that they
| should be sent back Immediately. The
Southern States had been amply supplied
with arms by this rare Secretary of War.
and ct We are asked 10 believe, on the au-
thority of Fitz John Porter. that Floyd re-
manned loyal and faithful until his frauds
were discovered. about the close OF fDecem-
ber, 1850. The garrison were still left
without rc-enforcements, provisions. or
arms. Meanwhile the whole country
seemed to have abandoned them. The
| summer glided away. The news from the
North was disheartening. The city OF New
York, where they might best look for aid,
was apparently as disloyal as Charleston.
| Fernando Wood was its Mayor; he was
| ready TO rise in rebellion with his allies in
| South Carolina. Il heard with profound in
| dignation," says General Doubleday, ''of
the case Of poor seanstress IRON New
York who had been sent 10 Jail 10 Charles
| ton simply for stating that she did not be-
| lieve in the Institution of slavery. She APP
pesled TO the Mayor OF New York. Fer
nando Wood. for aid but he replied that he
was rejoiced she was in prison, and hoped
she would be kept there" Wood after
ward, sustained by his Irish Catholic sup
| porters, endeavored TO send arms to the
Insurgents. and urged. In a message to the
/ Common Council, that New York, like
! Charleston. should secede from the Union.
November come. The beleaguered gar
/ rison heard that their fate would be deter
mined in the autumn election, and the VIC
lence Of the Caro-. inians rose int wild
rage as the moment approached when the
! nation was to decide between slavery aud
freedom. Charleston was again mad with
fierce excitement. No loyal maj dared
venture among its people. Even Loyal
women and the Union officers wives, like
poor seemstress, felt the insults and the
| rage OF the secessionists. No aid came
from Washington. nor even news; and Col
onel Gardiner, now alarmed at the pros
pect OF a sudden attack, wrote TO Floyd
that he was in want OF provisions, arm:
and means of defense. The Secretary, 10
reply. expressed his regret. and gave moth
ing. Every night the weary garrison
watched, each man an hour. and paced tht
walls expecting the enemy. November I
the news OF news of Lincolp's election I'LL
ed the secessionists with real joy. Th'
Legisi ature met Convention WAS called
The mob of the city threatened the fort