River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-01-24
The Fall Of Sumpter.


Major General S. Wyle Crawford, of the
United states Army, has published in the
Philadelphia Weekly Times a succinct mar
rative of the circumstances preceding the
evacuation of Fort Sumter on the 18th of
April, 1861, which Is a valuable and undoubt-
edly trustworthy contribution to the ma
tional annals General Crawford was then
one of Major Anderson's officers, and par.
ticipated in his counsels during the progress
sive phases of the momentous situation.
which was so pregnant with solemn conse-
quences. His testimony shows the real anx-
iety of The President and the professed
anxiety of the Confederate chiefs to
preserve the status of Charleston harbor till
the inauguration of Mr.. Lincoln. The rebels
desired to bind Mr.. Buchanan to limitation
of his right of action, but he distinctly de-
MED the existence OF any such obligation IN
his letter to their commissioners. The after
negotiations, however, as related, indicate
that he would have taken no step 10 break the
understanding which they affected to have
formed with him had not Major Anderson, in
fear of an attack, partially dismantled Fort
Moultrie and removed his men TO Fort Sum-
ter. General Crawford offers no analysis of
the motive of this act, but leaves il to be in
ferred that his commanding officer proceeded
on the patriotic prompting of his own under
standing, and that on him alone rested the
responsibility of precipitating the first overt
act of war on the part of the Confederacy.
The authorities of the State awaited no expla-
nation, but Immediately seized all that they
could of the Federal property. President
Buchanan at this point showed an element of
| frmness of character, patriotic sense which
| belle the ISLANDERS of superficial annalsts
| He fused to remand the garrison to Fort
| Mopltrla. Crawford avowedly onits all dis
cusson as to the alreged ''breach of faith"
and violation of personal honor" The
events Which followed were depicted in
much the same light as that in which they
are already familiar to the public. Empha-
sis is laid upon the full knowledge possessed
| by the government of the increasing desper-
alton of the troops shut up in Sumter, and
of the constant warlike preparations that
We're openly conducted on ever side of them.
A passage here is worthy of quotation -
Congress had adjourned without an effort
to avert the dangers threatening the nation.
Whatever may he thought of the vaccillating
policy of President Buchanan, it is neyerthe-
less true that he never at any time csnte.n-
plated the surrender of the forts in Charles
ton harbor, however anxious he was to avoid
a collision that would alarm the border
States and precipitate war;
Major Anderson's representations to his
government. after the accession of Lincoln,
presented the exact state of his resources and
the importance of speedy measures of relief
Yet not till the last of April was action
taken by the cabinet council. The weak at
tempt to provision Fort Sumter, whose abor-
ton has never been explained is passed over
very lightly. When Anderson sent his final
answer to the rebels before their attack he
remarked i'll their hearing that 'he would be
starved out anyway in few days if theil
guns did not batter him to pieces" Why he
thus deprived himself of the moral presump-
tive weight Of his subsequent gallant resist
ance may be one of the questions which this
narrative will call forth. Commanders who
mediate the Drawing of the direst extremity
for their country's sake are more wont tc
conceal the weaknesses of their situation
from the enemy than voluntarily to inform
him of the limit of their power of endurance
The remainder of the story does not differ
from the received accounts.