The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1882-11-10
THE FIRST GUN,

Gen. y. ID. Lee COrrects a Popular
ErrOr--The First Shot at sumter
Fired by Capt. George =. James, of
South Carolina, and Not by Edmund
Ruffin. Of Virginia.
ToTHE EDITOR OF THE NEW ORLEANS TINES
DEMOCRAT: In your issue of Sunday is an ar
ticle, @Fort and Fleet-The First Gun of the
War;" signed @M Quad, I wish to correct an
error which has almost passed into an histor-
ical fact 1t is this: Edmund Rufin of Yir-
ginia, did not fire the first gun at Fort Sum
ter, but Capt George s. James, of South Car
olina, afterward killed when a lieutenant
colonel at Boonsboro, Md, did fire it
The writer was captain of the South Caro-
lima army at the time, and an aide de camp on
the staff of Gen. Beauregard. He now has be-
fore him diary written at the time, and there
can be no mistake as to the fact.
The summons for the surrender or evacua-
ton was carried by Col Chestnut of South
Carolina, and Capt. s D. Lee They arrived
at Sumter at 2:20 p. m, April II. Maj. An
derson declined to surrender, but remarked
sHe would be starved out in a few days if
he was not knocked to pieces by Gen.
Beauregards batteries" This remark was
repeated to Gen. Beauregard, who informed
President Davis. The result was second
message was sent to Maj. Anderson by the
same officers, accompanied by Roger A. Pryor,
of Virginia, and Col Chisholm of South Caro-
lima. The messengers arrived at Sumter at
1926 a. m, April IL. Maj. Anderson was in
formed that if he would say that he would
L
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 major 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 apd Capt
S. d. Lee gave the ma or written communi-
cation dated Fort Sumter, S. c., April H.
1864, 1920 a. m. /" 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 boat to Fort Johnson, on James island,
and delivered the order to Capt George )
James, commanding the mortar battery, to
open fire on Fort Sumter. At 4:30 a. M the
first gun was fired at Fort Sumter, and at
4:40 the second gun was fired from the same
battery Capt James offered the honor of
firing the first shot to Roger A. Pryor, of Vir-
ginia. He declined, saying he wonld not fire
the first gun Another officer then offered to
take Pryor's place. James replied, "No! 1
will fire it myself" And he did it. At 4:45
a. m. nearly all the batteries in the harbor
were firing on Sumter Mr. Edward Ruffin
(who was much beloved and respected) was at
battery, but one thing is certain he never
fired the first gun against Fort Sumter
George s. James did Nor did he fire the sec
ond gun. He may have fired the third gun, or
first gun from the iron battery on Morris
Island. Yours, respectfully S. D. LEE.