Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-10-20
WHO FIRST FIRED AT SUMTER.
The Chance offered to Roger 4. Pryor, an,
accepted by George S. James.
New Orleans Times Democrat

The Chance offered to Roger 4. Pryor, and
accepted by George S. James.
New Orleans Times-Democrat.I
wish to correct an error, which has,
almost passed into an historical fact It.
is this. That Edmund Ruffin of Virginia
did not fire the first gun at Fort Sumter,
but that Capt George S. James of South
Carolina, afterward killed when lieuten-
ant colonel at .Boonsborough, Md, did
fire it.
The writer was captain of the South
Carolina army at the time, and an aide
de-camp on the staff of Gen. Beauregard.
He now has before him diary written at
the time, and there can be no mistake as
to the fact.
The summon for the surrender or evacu--
alton was carried by Col. Chestnut of South
Carolina, and Capt. S. D. Lee They ar
rived at Sumter at 2:20 p. NJ, April IL.
Major Anderson declined to surrender,
but remarked, "He would be starved out
In few days if he was not knocked to.
pieces by Gen. Beauregard's batteries.''
This remark was repeated to Gen. Beaure-
gard, who informed President Davis. The
result was second message was sent.
to Major Anderson by the same
officers, accompanied by Roger A.
Pryor, of Virginia and Col. Chisholm,
of South Carolina. The messengers ar
rived at Sumter at 1926 a. NJ, April r..
Major Anderson was informed that if he
would say that he would surrender on
April Is, and in the meantime would not
fire on Gen. Beauregard's batteries, unless he
was fired on, he would be allowed that time,
also that he would not be allowed to.
receive provisions from the United States
authorities. The ma jor declined to accede
to this arrangement, saying he
would not open fire unless
hostile act was committed against
his fort or his flag, but that if he could be-
supplied with provisions before the 18th of
April he would receive them, and in that
event he would not surrender. This reply
being unsatisfactory, Col. James Chestnut
and Capt. S. d. Lee gave the major writ
ten communication, dated, ssFort Sumter.
S. c., April IL, 1861, $500 a. H. informing
him, by authority of Gen. Beauregard,.
that the batteries of Gen. Beauregard
would open on the fort in one hour from
that time.
The party, as designated, then proceeded
in their boats to Fort johnson, on James,
Island, and delivered the order to Capt.
George S. James, commanding the mortar
battery, to open fire on Fort Sumter. At,
4 80 a. m. the first gun was fired at Fort
Sumter, and at 4:40 the second gun was
fred from the same battery. Capt. James
offered the honor of firing the first shot to
Roger A. Pryor, of Virginia. He declined,
saying he could not fire the first gun. An
other officer then offered to take Pryor's
place. James replied: No will fire it
myself And he did fire it. At 4:45 a. m.
nearly all the batteries in the harbor were
firing on Sumter. Mr.. Edward Rufin
(who was much beloved and respected) was
at the iron battery on Morris Island. I al
ways understood he fired the first gun from
the iron battery, but one thing is certain
he never fired the first gun against Fort
Sumter. George s. James did. Nor did
he fire the second gun. He may havefred
the third gun, or first gun from the iron
battery on Morris Island. Yours respect
fully. S. d. LEE.