Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1897-04-23
APRIL I86l-|897.
Some "reminiscences Of the Firing on
Fort Sumpter.
BY ARTHUR LINN.

BY ARTHUR LINN.
Before daylight on April l3, 1861, the
rebel guns on James Island, Charleston
Harbor, opened the war with savage
bombardment of Fort Sumpter. The
writer was boy in the editorial rooms OF
the New York Herald at the time. All
day long on the 18th, dispatches were
arriving describing the battle between
Sumpter and the rebel Notifications.
New York City was wild with excitement.
In the afternoon OF the 18th. Austin
Plunkett and the writer were directed to
60 to Annin's big flag house on Fulton
street and purchase flag. The Herald
had flag staff but no flag. l climbed
the staff and fixed rope in the block and
then the flag was raised. Next day, the
l4th, the city was wilder and the people
were at loss what to do. In the after
noon a great crowd had assembled in
front Of the Evening Express office on
Park Row to read the war bulletins No
flag was visible from the building, and
some one asked why. The idea was
taken up with shout. In a few minutes
thousands were bowling ''show your
colors." After some delay flag was
secured and hung out of window. This
flag business grew like magic. The
crowd started down to the World, Times
and Tribune. and at each place flag
had to be purchased and hung out. Then
the crowd, and it was big one, started
down Nassau street past the Herald
Office stopping at the Evening Post, then
down Wall street to the Journal OF Com
merce and up and through William street
to the Advertiser Office. At eath place
the crowd waited until flag was pur-
chased aud the colors flung to the breeze
The next stopping place was in front OF
the Day Book office on Park Row. The
crowd failed to get a flag out here, and
would have torn down the building
before giving in, had not the 7th Regi-
ment put in an appearance coming down
Center street. 1t seemed as if no one
went to bed in the great city that night,
because the news had come that Fort
Sumpter had surrendered and that the
war had commenced in earnest. In the
forenoon of the 18th, drums and flies
were heard everywhere and the famous
New York 7th Regiment started for
fox, n nd
and inspiring. Companies and regiments
were forming all over the city. On the
morning of the 18th, the 9th Mass. Inf.
arrived in the city and stacked arms in
the city hall square, and had breakfast
at the Aster house, and then they were
off for Washington. On the morning OF
the 10Th, this regiment was assaulted in
Baltimore and many killed. On the 18th
Major Anderson and his gallant garrison
arrived in the city and were escorted to
Union square where SIX stands for speak
ers had been erected. Major Anderson
was on one of the stands and he had with
him his grand old Sumpter flag which
had been shot down eight times before he
surrendered. The sight of that flag
raised volunteers by the thousands. The
terrible excitement continued and the
strain was like unto that of preparation
for death struggle One man in front
of 600 Broadway, who expressed his
opinion that the south was right, was
dead in sew seconds. His body was
not taken care of for some time. A man
who expressed similar opinion in front
of the Evening Post bulletin board, had
a rope put around his neck in very few
minutes after a desperate attempt to
escape. He rushed into Anthony's big
stationery house opposite the old post
office on Nassau street. The rope came
from the post office. A squad OF police
happened to arrive as the rope was being
put over lamp post. Savage clubbing
by the police saved him, and the police
station on Beekman street where the man
was locked up for safety, was surrounded
by an ungry mob for many hours.
The arrival of Major Anderson and his
gallant defenders seemed to have set the
city on fire.
The Herald had been suspected as har-
boring sympathy with the south, but the
flag raised on the 18th, saved the Office a
visit from the flag mob. That night,
however, every employee was armed and
prepared for an assault. l carried big
revolver and was on guard all night.
Next day James Gordon Bennett, ST.,
came down to the Office from his Fort
Washington home. He usually left at 4
D. m. going out by the Fulton street en-.
trance. followed the old gentleman,
being apprehensive of some assault upon
him. He went out boldly, through the
shouting, bowling bulletin reading crowd
and passed on to Broadway and down
Dey street. He was well known. but the
big flag over the building told the excited
people that the Herald stood for the
Union.