Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-04-10

but every moment it grew darker unit
shooting out from the base of the black Pill
lar, great yellow tongues of flame could be
seen tapping the tops OF the barracks ana
officers quarters
The War Vessels Wouldn't Move.
The first impression was that Major An.
derson was signaling the feet, consisting OF
eight war vessels and :, $50 men, which had
been sent to the rescue, but had remained
idly at anchor and made no sign OF help.
At 10 o'clock the fire reached magazine OF
shells and grenades and a terrific explosion
ensued that caused many heart to stana
still, for the men in that beleaguered and
burning fort had many friends in Charles
ton who were watching it with keenest H.
terest When the explosion occurred q
young girl who was present with party OF
her schoolmates was seen to throw her arms
wildly in the air aud exclaim, ''Oh, God,
my brotherI" She was the sister OF Lieu
tenant JEFF c. Davis, one of Major Ander-
sons officers, who afterward became Union
General
During all this trying period. while the
fort was in flames and the air like blast
from crater, Major Anderson continued
to send occasional shots to the different
batteries around him as if determined to
show to the world that he died game. :"
At every fash from the muzzles OF his guns
the Confederates would send up cheer
on cheer for the gallant defender OF the
fort.
Three times the flag was lowered as sig
nal of distress to the. Federal feet in the
of6ng, but no response followed, and 1t was
left to Beauregard to tender the merciful
assistance for which a call had been made.
Captain Stephen d. Lee, Colonel w. Porcer
Miles and Roger A Pryor were dispatched
upon this errand.
Calamity Replaced the Flag.
At o'clock shot from Sullivan's Island
severed the flagstaff and brought down the
Stars and Stripes They were replaced,
however, in about 15 minutes by Private
Hart, of New York, under circumstances of
great daring. At the temperance of the
flag the boat with the aides of Beauregard
who had been sent to offer assistance turned
back, but Immediately ex-senator Wigfall,
OF Texas, a voluntary aide of Beauregard,
accompanied by Private Gourdin, of the
Palmetto Guard, pushed off from Morris
Island in p small boat, and, showing a
white handkerchief on the point OF his
sword, proceeded to Fort Sumter. Being
conducted to Major Anderson he compli-
mented that officer on his gallant defence,
and stated that to continue the conflict
under the circumstances would be to un-
necessarily risk the lives of the men under
his command without commensurate results.
Colonel Wigfall said that the troops would
cease firing as soon as the flag was lowered,
and he offered the terms of surrender already
submitted by Beauregard.
''Then," said Major Anderson, 81 must
surrender; 1 have no other resource; We are
all In flames, and my men will shortly suf-
tocate."
Accordingly, at LOS o'clock on the 18th
of April the Stars and Stripes were lowered,
firing ceased, and Fort Sumter virtually
passed into the possession of the Southern
Confederacy.
The appearance of the fort at the time
defes description. AT every turn the eye
rested upon ruin. Fort Moultrie also bore
evidence Of the careful attention paid to it
by the Federal artllerists. 1t was here that
Captain John Mitchell, Jr., son of the Irish
patriot, first distinguished himself as an
officer. Strange to say: notwithstanding
all this exchange of iron compliments, not a
single life was lost
Great Day in Charleston.
The evacuation Of Fort Sumter took place
about noon on Sunday, April IA, and the
garrison took its departure on the steamship
Isabel. Dressed in full uniform and wear
ing their side arms they marched out to the
tune of yankee Doodle" Major Ander-
son looked careworn and Respondent He
was fine specimen of an American officer
| and gentleman, and no one more keenly
than General Beauregard, his associate in
arms, sympathized with the gallant soldier
in the bitter modification of the hour
Major Anderson, in common with all the
other officers of the fort, had been the re-
cipient OF Charleston's choicest hospitality,
The flag had been saluted by the discharge
of So guns A gentleman standing near
Major Anderson asked if 81 the usual
number, was not sufficient. NO." replied
the old soldier, bursting into tears. .ft
should be 100, and that is not enough"
As the steamer moved off cheer after
cheer rent the air. Every available site
along the coast and in the city was occupied,
and every conceivable species of water craft
had its full complement of guests. The
strictest churchmen forgot their afternoon
services and watched and shouted with the
noisiest of worldlings, while old men and
maidens. young men and children hurrahed
until they were hoarse. People stopped
and shook hands that day who had never be-
fore exchanged civilities, and fine wines
were drunk at clubs and dinners that for
more than a century mad been in sacred
keeping for no other purpose than to fitly
celebrate great epoch. So ended the first
and only bloodless battle of the great Civil
War. Mrs. F. G. DE FoNTAINE.