The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-08-25
Fort Sumter.

In an account of the attack on Fort
Sumter Major De Fontaine tells, in the
Southern Birouoc for July, the condi-
ton of affairs in the city of Charleston.
He says: April 18th. The hour of ac-
ton is at hand. 1t is not yet daylight,
but every officer is at his post. The
curtains of night are drawn aside, and
as the bells of the distant city strike
one-two-three-four, group of sol
ders gather around a mortar in Fort
Johnson. They little realize, however,
that in those silvery notes rolling across
the waters of the bay they have heard
the death-knell of eighty years of peace.
Among the officers are Colonel James
II. Chestnut. eX-United States senator,
Colonel a. II. Chisholm, now the editor
and proprietor of mining journal in
New York, and Major Stephen ID. Lee,
subsequently lieutenant-general,t the
aides of Beauregard, by whom the final
note was conveyed to Major Anderson.
Watch in hand, they await the approach
of the half hour when the signal gun is to
sound the tocsin of civil war; and as the
last second of the last minute is recorded
upon the dial-plate, there is flash of
bright light, the thunder of gun, and
|
toward Fort Sumter with long, thin
line of fire. Another quickly follows,
and the chorus of battle is fairly opened,
! luton. The first of these shells was
/ discharged by Captain George S. James
and the second by Lieutenant Hamp-
ton Gibbes. The scenes of the April
morning in the city of Charleston will
never be fully portrayed. Nor tongue,
nor pen, nor canvas can convey an idea
of the reality in all of its details. Let
the reader imagine population startled
from their slumbers by such an alarm.
Lights flash as if by magic from the
windows of every house, and in the
twinkling of an eye, as it were, an agi-
tated mass of people are rushing I'M
petuously toward the water front of the
city. Grave citizens, whose dignity
under ordinary circumstances is unim-
peachable, are at the top of their speed,
dressing as they run, and sending up
wild hurrahs, as if they must have some
such safety-valve for their enthusiasm
or be suffOcated. There are men with
out coats, women without crinoline and
children in night-gowns. The Bat
terry or fashionable promenade, pre-
sents scene of deShabille in every style
and the mysteries of feminine toilet
are revealed with reckless disregard
of all the formula of conventional at.
tire. And so, with faces pale, hail
unkempt and eyes sharpened by the
strange fascination of the weird specta-
Gle, the impassioned multitude stand
by the hour peering into the darkness
and reading the progress of the fight by
the flashing of the guns. Our batteries
had all opened, or, to use the language
/ of Colonel Ripley, rung their break
, fast bell for Major Anderson Fol
, nearly two hours they pounded at the
walls of Fort Sumter with desperate
energy, but without eliciting response
Scarcely, however, had objects on the
, low coast become well defined amid the
shadows OF the morning when, as il
wrathful from the enforced delay, there
suddenly poured from parapet and case
mate a storm of iron hail. The muir.
muir rang through the crowd and was
caught up and carried into the city
= Fort Sumter has opened fire! The
battle now ragged with fury, and the
| fiery messengers from both sides fol
r lowed each other with spiteful haste
SNORT, sharp rcpoIts, WIN spurlS VI
5 flame, told of bursting shells in ant
t around the beleaguered fortress, while
splashes of spray or clouds of crumblet
brick marked the ugly force of rount
5 shot on its face. TO the spectator, M
= display of pyrotechnic skill could have
{ been more attractive. AT dawn ;
r shower of rain dispersed the thron!
2 gathered on the Battery but at sun
t rise thousands again congregated who
} with fever undiminished, watched thu
= progress of the fight. The elegan
5 mansions in the neighborhood wer
t also filed with observers, while il
e the roadway of the broad plaza wer
= hundreds of carriages and the horse
1 men who had hurried to the scene iron
j towns and villages miles away.
t single incident illustrates the enthusias
tic sentiment which pervaded the en-
e tire community. Among the specta
t tors was decrepit old gentleman owe
r seventy years of age. | found him sti
n there in the afternoon, on my retur
: from the Notifications, and announce
f to him that thus far no one was hurt
n Taking me by the hand, he remarked
n Sir. have five sons on Morris Island