The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1882-11-10
wne raasT FlRED ATsumTEa .
rhe Chance amerea 70 Roger A. Fryer, ana
Accepted by capt. Ceerae .. James.

From The New Orleans 'sriass Democrat,
| wish to correct an error, which
has almost passed into . his'erica
tact. Il Is this That Ednund Ruf.
fin, Of Virginia, did not fire the first
gen at Fort Sumter, but that Captain
George S. james, of South Carolina,
afterwartl killed when Lieutenant
Colonel at Boonsboro. Md, did Are
Ii.
The writer was u Captain OF the
South Caroliaa army At the time, and
an Aide-de- Camp on the staff of Gen.
Beauregard. He now has before him
"a diary written at the time, and there
can he no mistake as to the fact.
The summon for the surrender Or
evacuation was carried by Col. Chest
nut, of South Carolina, and Capt. S.
ID. Lee, They arrived at Sumter At
2:20 P. NJ, April II.
Major Anderson refused to sarren-
der, bur remarked, "EEe would be
starved out In few dsys, II he was
not knocked To pieces bv Gen. Beaur-
egard's batteries" This remark was
repeated to Gen. Beauregard, who
informed President Davis. The re-
suit was n second message was sent
to Major Anderson by the same Off
GERS, accompanied by Roger A. Pry.
or, of Virginia, and Col. Chisholm, Of
S1gth Carolina. The messengers ar.
rived at Sumter at 1895 A. NJ, April
u. Major Anderson was informed
that IL he would say that he would
surrender ON April 10, and In the
meantime would not fire on Gen.
b B.aures sard's batteries, unless he was
fired on, he would not be allowed
t1at time also that he would not be
a'lo vel tn receive provisions from the
United States authorities. The Maj
or declined to accede to this arrange
ment, saying he would not open ire
unless hostile act was com mitted
against his fort or his flag, bat thai
il he could be supplied with provis-
ions before the fifteenth of April he
would receive theal, and in that
event he would not surrender. This
reply being unsatisfactory, Col. James
Chestnut and Capt. S. d. Lee gave
The Major written communication,
d 't's' f'Fnrt Sumter, s. c.. April u,
1861. 800 A. NJ ;" informing him y
suthnrity st Gen. Beauregsrd, that
the batteries of Gen. Beauregard. |
W ,uid open ON the fort IN one hour
from that tIne.
The party, as designated, then pr
Gee led in their boat TO Fort johnson, /
on James I>land. and delivered ihe /
order ~ Capt- Ge.,rgs ). Jaines com
m2ndlng the islortsr battery, TO open
IRE on Fo.t SuaIter. III 4:30 A. II. |
the first gIa WIS fired a: F..rt Sum- t
ter, a'.d At i:40 the scc.nli gun was
nred from the stms bItsery. Capt.
James offered the hon0r Of firing the
hrst shot to Roger A. Pryor OF Vir-
ginia. He declined, saying he could
not tire the first gun. Another ofIi-
Ger then offered TO take Pryor's place.
James replied, "Ne!I will fire IL
myself" And he did fire IL At
4 A. L. nearly all the batteries in the
harbor were firing on Sumter. Mr..
Edward Ruffia (who WAS mnch be-
loved and respecteG) was at the iron
battery OH Morris Island. I always
under4bs'd he fired the first gun from
the iron battery, hut ohe thing is
eeftaIa-'ie never fired the frat gun
- inst Fort Sumter. Georye S.
JIines iii. Nor did he fire the Sec
1nd gun. ale may have fred the
.hirt gan, Or first gun from the iron
Iittery on Morris Island. Your. !
t1stleetiu ~, 5. ID. LEE.