The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-01-17

II
the dawn of day disclosed an activity at
once unusual and significant over the
entire harbor. The waters were covered
with vessels hastily putting to, sea. An
iron.clad floating battery Of four guns,
the construction Of which in Charleston
had been watched by the garrison for
months, was towed down the bay tola
point at the western end of Sulliyan's
Island, where its guns bore directly upon
Fort Sumter. A wooden dwelling on the
beach, near the end of the island, was
pulled down, and unmasked 3 land work,
mounting four guns, hitherto unknown
to the garrison. Its fire would enfilade
the most important battery of Fort Sum-
ter, which was upon the parapet of the
right flank of the work, and whose guns
were mainly relied upon to control the
fire from the heavy guns on Cummings
Point, that would take the fort in re-
verse. Bodies Of troops we're landed and
the. batteries on shore fully manned, and
ieyery preparation completed, when, at
four o'clock p. m, boat under white
flag approached the fort. Two officials,
aides.de.camp of the general command
ing the Confederate forces in the harbor,
Col. Chestnut and Capt. s. d. Lee, were
admitted to the guard-room just inside
the main entrance to the work. They
bore communication from the military
commandant at Charleston and to the
following effect. 1t stated that the Gov
ernment of the Confederate. States had
hitherto forborne from any. hostile de.
monstration against Fort Sumter, in
the hope that the General Government
would voluntarily .evacuate it in order. to
avert war, and that there was reason to
believe that such would have been the
course pursued, but that the Confederate
Government could no longer delay aas-
suming, actual possession of fortifca-
ton so important to 1t. The evacuation
Of Fort Sumter was demanded sin the
name of the Government of the Confed-
crate States. All proper facilities were
rendered to Major Anderson for the re-
moyal of himself and his command. He
was to take with him his company and
private property, and to salute his flag
upon taking it down. =
Calling the officers of the garrison into
his private room, heJlaid the commune
cation before them, and then for the first
time made known to them the confiden.
tial dispatch from the government, re-
ceived a few days previously, in which
their determination to relieve the fort
Was expressed, and instructions in regard
to it conveyed. In this communication
authority was given him to capitulate
when the necessity of the case required
it. The conference of the officers was
long and earnest. There was no thought
for q moment eff acceding to the demand
for the evacuation of the fort, and the
following reply was returned by Major
Anderson 'sThat the demand for the
evacuation of the fort was one with
which he regretted that his sense of hon
or and his obligations to his government
prevented his compliance" On receiv.
| ing this communication the Confederate
officers left the fort. The entire inter.
view was characterized by every courtesy
though more distant and formal than il
previous conferences. They were fol
lowed to the main gate of the work BY
Major Anderson and the writer of thil
article. As they were about to embark
Major Anderson remarked in their hear
ing that he would be starved out an,
way in few dayssif their guns did no
batter him to pieces, and this was repeat
ed more specifically to the Confederat.
officers in reply to their inquiries on th'
subject. As the boat returned, the bat
teries around were covered with specta
tors, all anxiously watching the result Q
the mission.-Gen. S. W. Crawford Il
Philadelphia Times.