The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1883-03-22

- Charleston Weekly Neus.
IN the fall of 1863, just before the
oysrua,ion of Morris Island, when Col.
Rhe,l had fought Fort Sumter Glow
lawn" Gen Beauregard, commanding
,be department, determined to abandon
,he fort az an artillery post, having more
;mnortant positions for the First South
Crolina Artillery, regulars, and placed
Mai stephen Elliott, afterwards General.
IN command, intending to "hold the
Mr," with infantry.
Thus early in September, the Charles.
ton Battalion, subsequently the Twenty
'eyen,h South Carolina Volunteers, IIa-
y,od's Brigade, by consolidation with
Abney's sharpshooters, was ordered to
,ap,ri to Maj. Elliott, at Fort Sumter.
Tnj. WAS done about dark one evening, a
.,san,er conveying the troops under com
manI of Maj. Blake.
Col. Gaillard, the senior officer of the
battalion, was at this timo hors dc comtat
from a wound recently received at Bat.
,ery Wagner This Conscientious and
i,aI!css soldier had been ordered by Gen.
Iscoud 10 relieve part of his battalion
yery much exposed TO q heavy zheiIins
rom
THE TERRIBLE "IRONsTDEs."
yt Wishing to send his adutant in a
jsngerou. mission, he was the bearer of
HI. own order and lost an arm for his
ca,!antry. But to resume our narrative.
Fort Sumter at this time was mere
wreck, with scarce place to lay ones
head certainly not in comfort or safety,
and iis general appearance such rs to
Lanpen the spirits of even good soldiers.
II had, however, no such effect apparent.
Is with the active and gallant Elliott.
lie was soon at work trying to put things
iu As nice shape rs the means at his com
mand and the shells Of the enemy would
allow, and in all respects proved himself
worthy the honor which had been confer
red upon him in his appointment to The
command OF such post. His headquar-
ters we're in the northeast angle of the
fort, an exposed little spot on the top of
the ruins, (which his predecessor, Col.
Rhett, had occupied, believe, before
him., whence he issued his orders, and
vas tlitting in and out at all times. But
one gun was left intact in the fort, which
from his posilion-in the lower tier of
c,semates in the northwest angle point.
ing ctywards escaped the general
de.!ruction of armament This piece
VAS only used rs an evening gun, aud
when fired the sun had to set and the flag
90 down, (such was the West Point yer.
sion Of this salute think while it pro-
claimed to the enemy there was life in
Tue old fort yet, which otherwise, save
!he luttering flag, must have seemed to
.hem like
4 DESERTED AND DESOLATE TOMB.
| was told, after our tour of duty at the
Fort was over, that the enemy got SO
expert in the use of q rifle gun at Battery
Gregg, distant about tire.eighths of
mile, that they more than once relieved
our garrison OF hauling down the flag, by
shooting away the staff simultaneously
with the report of this evening gun.
1t was currently reported when Te
occupied the fort that the enemy were
informed by spies of everything going on
in the city and its surroundings, and that
the officers of the fleet were as regular
readers of the Charleston papers as the
subscribers thereto. Various specula-
tions existed rs to how these things could
be with = vigilant commander, active
troops, trustworthy pickets &c. In tho
discussion Of the subject some surmsed
that bottles containing the papers, &C.,
were tioated down on the ebb tide and
picked up by the fleet anchored in the
current Others again thought that the
fishermen, who had permits to carry Oh
their ayocation, were the medium of
communication. Be this as it may,
never heard the mystery satisfactorily
solved. The enemy must have heard Of
tae change at the fort from an artillery
toan Infantry post, for not many days
a'ter our occupancy boat under
A FLAG OF TRUCE
approached. Maj. Elliott, to keep it at
respectful distance and prevent too close
ascruliny of the ruins, had boat man.
lel and put under the command of Capt.
Niles, now DR.. Frank Miles, of Balti-
more, and ordered to meet the flag and
learn the import of the same. This was
promptly done, and upon the return of
cur boat there was intense anxiety to
ena out the nature Of the communication
l'om the fleet. I cannot now recall
whether it was verbal or written, but it
eaSed out among the officers that it was
aaemand for the unconditional surren-
uet oi The fort, upon the ground that it
was not tenabte, and to refuse and
aNempt defence under such condition
sould be violation of theusages of war,
.ot which the garrison would be he'd
Strictly responsible in the event of an
suatS and capture. This responsibility
aaeant believe, the putting of the
uelenders to the sword, which impression
vas partially confirmed by subsequent
aeSeloopments which I will relate further
on. 1t was said that the brave Miles,
upon iutimation from the officer in
se.g seestge OF the flag of truce Of the nature
O,.. lug demand, had replied on his own
psn s,,.i @ emphatically, though more deli
lsiy than any of the heroes Of Water.
w, W., upon similar demand, as told by
n ,assor hugo in "Les Miserables." He
=, p,Tmised however, to give the message,
wo,',5 ,e,!er, to his commanding officer, and
s.,u "'a'u =, meet the flag again and communi.
ds~e u Tue reply. Maj. Elliott sent the
imana in .a to Gen. Beauregard who replied
dsnect. to the Commodore, that if he
SSsemed Ssud the fort so defenceicps he had
Fie. Ti;e. come and occupy it, and to Maj.
.,a.;s aost' That the foft must be held et the
'A.rllce OF half the garrison.
,oot ttorewarned, forearmed," Maj. Elliott
,ud A every precaution against surprise,
no.,;n;e alade preparations for the best fight
Am aII'.ule y, when the attack should come.
el dispositions were promptly arrang.
,,,;aA az retreat" orders would be issued
,suing some one Of the companies as
no.t psslal guard during the night, on the
bs;. . sS posed point, (where they slept on
tho h." arms, arms J viz: the southeast angle of
/. Nall. 0it, formed by the sea and gorge
du,is.. ana specifying the position and
uaud 81 :, the other companies of the com,