The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-06-03

Richard Guel ard, John l.. Branch, Col.
R. D. Walker, Berrien Millen, Spauldiug
Mcintosh, George Nichols, Capt. John
Read Robert Grant and many others
made up as respectable a personnel as
ever made treason respectable 1t was
we'll known that the fort was garrisoned
by an old saigeant and his wife, and that
there was no ear hly chance of opposition
10 us, but Ia such times rumor increases
the number of her tongues, and the imagi-
nation riots in foreseSing danger. For
example. some one reported that a man
just arrived from Tybee said that che
Harriet Lane had come into the roads
about shutdown and anchored off the fort.
If any one had considered for moment
the fact that the Lane was AT Washing
ton the day before, 1t would have con-
WINGED the most tinid that she could not
have come into Cockspur Roads, within
twenty-four hours, but no one stopped 70
think. Jackson was receiving tele-
gram about every half hour from Wash
ington and sending one in epgrammatic
reply. He had just read one delivered to
him, when Berrien Millen came up
Gen Jackson" said Millen, "have you
learned that the Harriet Lane is at C0ck-
spur Island?'
mo" said Jackson. ''It is impossible.
Besides, if she is, we will meet with no
resistance, and the forts must be taken
Tonight"
Have you any powder on board our
boat?" asked Millen.
mo. What do we want with powder?
There is no one at the fort, except an
old sergeant and his wife, and so far
from needing powder will take the fort
with my penlnife. I tell you, Millen,
the hope of a successful issue for our
cause rests in taking the forts tonight,
powder or no powder. Why, If there were
no boat, I would go there on a thought
and would attack II with my penknife."
VERY well, Gen. Jackson" said Millen.
IF You choose to go down on that boat
without powder or any means Of attack
or defense. all right; but I and my
friends must decline 10 follow you until
some precautionary steps are taken"
Jacks6n's IDEAS.
A tim.d old gentleman, a little deaf,
caught me by the arm and hurrying~ me
into the shadow OF a tree, tipioed until
he could get his mouth Into my ear, when
he whispered, Don't You think Gen.
Jackson's ideas air leetle fur-fe tched?"
l saw that the game was Zip. Jackson
was furious. He entreated and implored.
He offered to Climb into an emhrasure
and open the gaies to us If we would
only go down to the forts wharf. He
cajoled. ridieuled, did all he could to urge
them to follow him, but their heads were
set. They refused 60 go without powder
and it was too late ito provide 1t that
night. AT II o'clock the tug let off steam
and we went each of us home. / stopped
with Jackson at the telegraph office, ard
he sent another long dispatch to Wash
ington. ] said to HIM Never mindl on
tomorrow morning ] will see that we
have guns and ammunition from the
Chatham Artillery aud. on Tomorrow
night we can so down and take the
forts
'@rco late" he said, too late. II we
took every fort and arsenal in the South
tomorrow it would not accomplish
what the work arranged for tonight
would have done"
mo, we have missed our chance. The
only one we had, and we can never ac-
mpl sh what would have barn so easily
done tonight, but" he sa d. II could not
In honor. give my reas ms to Millen and
his friends. Had there been 100 Lanes in
Tybee Reads, they would not have mo-
Tested us, and then our I Ian having been
cafritd cut successful, EVERY Southern
state would have done the same thing"
All these sayirgs were ep!gnas to me
then, but found out afterwards that we
should Rave allowed nothing to prevent
orr acti~g that n ght, and then I learned
who in Washington sent the many tsle-
grams he received and answered.
NO" he said, when the fcrts are 10
be taken again, let 1t be by constituted
authority. 1 shant undertake the move
ment again" He then proceeded TO tell
me what he thought TIE effect OF our
prompt action that night would have
been on the North, and particularly on
the outgoing administrator in Washing
ton, which was just what the Southern
members Of Mr. Buchanans cabinet be-
lieved and laid their plans to carry out:
nay just what MFR. Buchanan desired, as
have elsewhere said
Without this explanation II appears that
we were afraid to trust 10 the cooler
judgment of our state and PEOPLE but
those who directed the movement being
aware of the wishes and plans of South
ern men in Washington. believed they
we.e taking steps TO prevent any war be-
tween the North and South. have often
heard Gen. jackson say that had we
seized the forts that night, every other
Southern state would have done likewise
and war would have tithsr been averted
or its ending would have been very differ
emit The reasc ms for believing this, how
ever have no place in these "reminiscences
AS a matter of history, the forts were
net occupied for some weeks more.
Preparing for n Meeting.
The signing Of the call being completed,
the next step was to prepare for the
meeting on the following Tuesday; so a
number of prominent gentlemen who had
Identified themselves with the movement
were invited to met at the office of Gen
jackson on the Saturday following the
election, so that resolutions might be pre-
pared, presiding chairman ard secretary
selected, and the usual committees agreed
upon; in word to see that the machin-
cry was all mace ready for this most i'm
portant event. At 10 o'clock on the day
appointed some 10 or % gentlemen, duly
assembled, each one with a set OF reso-
lutions in his pocket. and a speech in
his head They were all read in turn, ad-
vocated by their authors. and voted down
promptly. Some were too radical. some
too ponderous, some too verbose Ii look
ed as though we could not find the proper
expressions to convey our wishes aud de-
signs.
Some one said 'ff we only had Frank Bar
tow here with US" 1t may, perhaps
seem strange to some who care to read
this narrative, that Barlow whose name
was O synonym for Secession, and who
was its gallant and gifted defender does
not appear among the leaders, but tho
truth Is that not being familiar with the
motives and plans of those who were mar