The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-06-16
FORT SUMTER.
EVENTS THAT FOLLOWED THE
FALL OF THE CITADEL.
How the Remnants Of the Garrison
Were Transferred to a Federal
Vessel-A Night on a Con- =.
federate Steamship.

lowed the surrender of Fort Sumter and
the privations to which the remnants of
the garrison were subjected, Captain
James Chester in an article in the Wash
ingtcn Star says:
We were not expected on board the Is
abel; at least, no preparations had been
made for our reception. Many, perhaps
most, of the crew were absent from the
ship, and the boilers were absolutely
cold. It would be impossible to get up
steam 80 as to take us to- the fleet, then
living outside the bar, before dark; and
after dark the distractions in the channel
and the absence of all lights and beacons
made navigation in that harbor impossi-
BILE. There was no help for it. We must
remain on board the Isabel until morn
ing. This piece Of news hardly raised
complaint, but the next almost . mutiny
not against our own officers; there was
no danger of that. 1t was the officers OF
the Isabel that were in danger, and the
news that created it was: ''There is
nothing to eat on board the ship"
To men who had not been living very
sumptuously for some time-in fact had
not had q square meal for weeks-this
was alarming news indeed, and created
profound sensation. But it was disbe-
iieved. teIt's lie!' shouted the spokes-
man of party. "Let US find out if there
is anything to eat on board" These re-
marks were made to some half dozen
men who had assembled near the galley,
and as the speaker finished he picked up
an axe, with which some one had been
splitting kindling wood, and struck it
into the head of barrel standing near
The barrel contained potatoes, not few
of which found their way into the SOL
diers' pockets, aud were eaten raw soon
afterward with great gusto. :.
Meantime our own officers had learned
of the affair, and one appeared upon the
scene and said some sharp words on the
subject of order. These were listened to
with respectful attention, and as the
speaker wound up his lecture with: stTl
see what can be done for you and if there
is ANYTHING to eat on board this ship you
shall have it." smiles of satisfaction
spread over the half dozen hungry faces
which constituted his audience, and the
group quietly dispersed. And the men
did get hot coffee and, l think, boiled
potatoes that night.
It is perhaps unnecessary to add that
the officers Of the Isabel had no intention
of starving the soldiers of Sumter. The
remark: s'There is nothing to eat on board
the ship" was the reply of the steward
to the der of the Captain to prepare
supper for the men; and it only meant
that he could not prepare supper for so
many passengers without going to market
The night on board the Isabel was q
miserable one. The men, poorly clad
and ketless-their underclothing had
been used as cartridge-bags and many of
their blankets had been burned-slept'
about the deck wherever they could find
warmth or shelter. The lee side Of the
smokestack was the favorite place. There
the raw, fog-laden wind was warded Oh,
and the grateful heat radiated from the
funnel of the steamer seemed solid COM
fort to the half-clad men, but only few
could enjoy it at time. The remainder
huddled up in hooks, or, stamping round
the deck, chartered anathemas against
the ship, 'or futile wishes to be back
again in Sumter. 1t was long and
dreary night, but dawn appeared at last.
When coffee had been served and drank,
and the fog had cleared away, the winch
began to click the anchor up, and every
body frightened at the sound, and men
shook hands with men without apparent
cause, and all felt that they were now
going home.
The palmetto flag was flying at the
peak as the steamer started down the bay,
and at the fore was the stars and stripes,
fouled in the halyards. And Sumter,
changed past recognition, like a beauty
who had had the smallpox recently,
frowned her farewell upon US as we
passed, and Noultrie, with queer, dis
torted face and swollen head, swathed to
the ewes in sand bags, seemed to say:
"Forget me not" and everybody stood
apart and silence was maintained until
we neared the bar. Then the soldier
faces. saddened for moment, bright
ened up as they turned toward the feet
and saw so many sailor-faces watching
their approach, and waiting to give them
q right royal welcome. The Powhatan
saluted first, and as the last gun was
fred a crowd of sailors scrambled up
aloft and gave three hearty cheers Tor
Major Anderson and his men. BY this
time we had passed the Powhatan,
pleased with our greeting, when fresh
salute, fred by the Pawnee, began, and
ended as on board the Powhatan. And
then the saucy Harriet Lane, standing
s'off and on" as Captain Cutie would
have said, took up the tale and rounded
off the three fold royal welcome.
We now approached the largest vessel
of the fleet, which proved to be the Bal
tic, a chartered transport of right royal
dimensions, and to her the Isabel made
fast, and Major Anderson was passed on
board and then the officers one by one-
The sailors then took charge Of every
thing and seemed to know exactly what
to do. A hammock was prepared and
swung from the yardarm, and before the
soldier men could guess its purpose 1t
was lowered awav until it rested on the
deck orthe Isabel. and our wounded, one
bv one. were lifted on it and hoisted up
and hauled in, and slowed away in hos
pital with such gentleness that had they
Slept when the work began they never
would have known how it occurred.