Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-05-02


Though from a military point of view, the
bombardment of Fort Sumter in April. 1861.
ranks only as a minor event of the late
''unpieasantness' from the historical point OF
view, ii takes place OF great Importance, as
there the first gun in long and devastating
war was fired. The survivors of the little band
that held the fort for thirty-six hours. are now
scattered throughout the Union. One OF these
is Dennis Johnson, veteran artilleryman, now
employed in the depot quartermaster's Office in
this city.
There were about seventy-five men in the
command all told" said Mr.. Johnson, in reply
to an inquiry by a STAR reporter, land in ad-
dition there were eight or nine civilians in the
fort. These civilians were workmen who had
been employed in the works. The officers were
Major Anderson. Capt Doubleday, Capt Foster,
Capt seymour Lieut.. Hail. Lieut.. Snyder,
Lieut.. Davis and Lieut. Meade.
ION the morning of April 12th,' continued
Mr. johnson. settling himself down Tor a long
narrative, "about twenty minutes past four
o'clock. the first shell was fired at Sumter.
They continued until Z O'Clock. firing shells at
us every five minutes without response from US.
AT o'clock we fell in and were marched IN the
caScmates, where we were all told off TO differ
ent guns. We could not man the guns on the
ranparts on top. which were open and exposed
to the fire from every quarter from Fort John
son, Fort Moutrie, Mount Pleasant, Sullivan
island and the iron battery at a place called
Cummings Point. From all these different
points mortars and guns were pouring shot and
Shell into the fort. While men We're working
a gun on the ramparts on side of the fort
Lhey would receive the enemy's fire from the
rear Consequently we could man only the
lower classmates. However, we opened the ball
at ten minutes past seven clock, beginning by
Smelling the iron battery and Fort Moultrie.
THE MOST TERRIFIC FIRE
we received was from Fort Moutre, a fort much
like Fort Washington, with ramparts, but no
classmates. Over here" said the veteran rising
from his seat and gesturing with his hands,
was Cumming Point, there was Fort John
son, and there Mount Pleasant. They got the
range accurately and dropped their shot and
shell right into the fort. Every shot was tear
engaged the iron battery the Cummings
Point side. Others manned the guns on
the other side, and some were firing at
Foft Moultrle. The iron battery was the
nearest. We could not concentrate any fire at
all on one side, for we had guns that could
reach the enemy on that side When the fort
was built it was never expected, of course. that
the American people would be fighting them
selves, SO on the side looking away from the
channel no provfs ion had been made for guns
manned gun myself directing the fire at
Fort Moultrie Three thrty-two Founders and
two Iorty-two FOUNDERS were all we could work
on that side We fired at the magazine part of
the fort, and the fire was so heavy there that
the enemy had to evacuate Che works for a
time, afraid that they would blow up. The
magazine had pitched roof with two gables
protected by the ramparts. We knew, ofcourse,
just where it was and aimed to smash in the
the ramparts upon it. The fire from the enemy
was continued all that day and was very heavy.
which swept the parade in the center of the
fort. Some time during the afternoon of the
nrst day the Flagstaff was shot away and came
tumbling down into the open space. Lieut.
Hall ran out from the classmates, snapped the
halyards with a knife. secured the flag, which
was triced up again in the ramparts. Alter the
nag was shot down the walls of the buildings
and the roofs began TO give way. We kept at
the enemy till the buildings on the south side of
THE FORT TOOK FIRE
"These buildings, which were occupied as
quarters filled out three of the angles sides
of the fort, one looking to the west, the other
south and the other southeast. The tops of the
roofs of the buildings just showed over the
ramparts. Towards the north the space was
all open. Before we left Fort Moultrie we had
cons ructed a regular furnace, shot heater for
heating red hot shot, and l expect the enemy
used it, Fort Moultrie was we'll manned and it
must have been from the guns of that fort that
the fire was started in Sumter. The officers
quarters were In the center of this row of build
lngS, and at the right and lett were the quarters
for the men. The officers quarters took fire
hrSt: There was no such thing as trying TO put
out the fire. The flames spread rapidly to the
right and left, and soon the two magazines were
surrounded by walls of fire. We were at the
classmates at the north side, and the smoke from
the burning buildings was so dense and suffoca-
ting that we had to lie on faces. The wind
blew from that side, and the embrasures were
too small to let out the smoke, which was so
thick we could hardly see. All the smoke came
into our faces. We were obliged to wet hand.
Kerc a II, s, and put them over our faces. We
hour, during which we ceased firing altogether
II was terrible experience. The old fellow
himself, continued the narrator, referring to
Major Anderson, had 10 lie down on his face
saw him crying, the smoke was so hot and
thick. The enemy continued the lombard
ment the first day until between four and five
in the evening, and then stopped, except to fire
an odd shot now and then to keep US in the
works.
son the second dav tho firing haoon aor,,,
While the fort burning, a rapid fire was
concentrated upon us from every point. This
Was done to prevent our leaving the classmates
and attempting to put out the fire. They must
have fired
FORTY TO SIXTY SHELLS
minute into the fort. The shells tore up the
earth from the parade and rent the bricks from
the walls. Nothing could have stood the fire.
No man could have lived under it. So we had
to stand at the classmates and let the fire burn.
About twenty minutes past three o'clock. the
second day, General Wigfall, of Texas a con-
federate officer came out TO the fort in boat
from Mount Pleasant. He came across under
men did not see his boat as it was pulled across
He landed on the rocks, and came up to one OF
the embrasures d couple OF guns below me. I
think if it had not been Tor me he would have
been killed. He was about to leap into the en-
brasure when Jimmy Ryan, laborer in the
was about to strike him. recognized General
Wigfall. and prevented Ryan from striking
MIN. we asked ann 10 come, and he got in as
fast as he could out Of the fire. He said he
wanted to see Major Anderson. He was taken
to Major Anderson, and the two officers shook
hands. Gen. Wigfall came over from Gen
Beauregard to demand the surrender of the
tort. Maj. Anderson said he would never sur
render unless we could take out of the fort all
that we had taken in with us. Before return
ing, Gen. Wigtall asked Mai. Anderson il he
would not put out a white flag. so he could re-
cross in safety. 4 white flag was shown from
one OF the towers, and the firing ceased at that
minute from every point. Maj. Anderson told
at certain hour, he would open fire again. The
answer came back before the time was up and
the terms which Major Anderson asked were
granted. That is, we were to salute our flag be-
fore we left, and carry with us all our arms
equipments, flags and our private property,
leaving, of course, the guns and ammunition
belonging to the fort. Gen. Wigal returned in
about an hour. Maj. Anderson then went
across to see Beauregard. 1t did not take long
for two or three men to pull him across the bay
between them. We remained in the fort that
night
HUNGRY GARRISON.
GAS remember it, said the speaker, "there
was not a single mouthful to eat in the fort that
night. All there was on the second morning
was six or eight pounds OFFICE, which happened
to be lying in small room back of the cook
house. 1t was mixed with broken glass; from
windows shattered by shells. This was cooked
and served to the men at the guns on the second
morning. There was not a single pound of
flour in the fort, though there was some pork
there, but we could not eat that without bread.
L did not have mouthful to eat that day. The
next morning after the surrender, think some
bread and biscuit were procured from Charles
ton: have seen it stated that there was plenty
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