Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-05-24
HOW IT COMMENCED.
Interesting Chapter of Civil
War History.

War History.
BY ONE WHO WAS THERE.
Major James F. Hart Recalls the
Events Of December, 1860, and
Tells What He Saw When Sent by
Governor Pickens to Report on the
Situation at Fort Moultrie.
Major James F. Hart accompanied
by Mrs. Hart, visited Charleston re-
Gently. and on his return wrote out the
following historical "reminiscences that
will be Of interest to many readers.]
December 9th, 1860. was a cool.
misty morning in Charleston. The
city had quieted down from the ex-
citement growing out Of the - sign
ing Of the ordinance Of secession on
December goth. The writer, then
recent graduate Of the South Carolina
Military Academy, was employed In
reporting the proceedings Of the state
senate, for both the secession conven-
ton and the legislature which had re-
moved to Charleston some days previ-
ously. owing to a supposed epidemic of
smallpox in Columbia. the capital.
It was about $50 o'clock Of the morn
ing of the 9th, that was making my
way down Meeting street, to the I'M
proyised legislative hall, when 1 was
met by General James Jones. acting as
one of the aides to Governor Francis
w. Pickens. This austere old gentle.
man stopped me and said: II was
Just going to find you; Governor Pick
ems wants to see YOU" I was too
much surprised at the remark. to ask
questions: but accompanied him to the
office Of the governor, whom I did not
personally know, and who at that ear
ly hour was at his desk.
On being ushered in, the governor at
once said: young man, you have
been recommended to me for an i'm
portant service. Major Anderson has
violated the status quo compact, and
last night evacuated Fort Moultrie
and has taken possession Of Fort Sum-
ter. I want you to make your way to
Fort Moultrie, with all dispatch, ex-
anime into the condition Of the fort
the number of United States troops
still holding it, how it can best be TAX
en- by assault, and report to this office
as speedily as you can perform this
duty"
The compact" referred to. was an
alleged understanding had with the
Buchanan administration by Judge
Campbell, Of Alabama, to the effect
that as long as no hostile acts were
undertaken by the secessionists to as
sume control of the unoccupied forti-
fications and government property IN
Charleston harbor, and the United
States arsenal in the city, that the
status quo in the harbor would be
maintained by the washington admin
istration, and no renforcements sent to
the forts.
I hurried to nearby wharf and en-
gagged a fishing smack to convey me
through the inlet between Sullivan's
Island and the mainland. The boats
daily plying between Sullivan's island
and the city, under recognized state
of war in the harbor, were tied up at
their wharves. Landing at the east
end of the island, made my way
through the struggling village OF
Moultrieville to Fort Moultrie. This
was a rectangular, Fashioned fort,
with a dozen guns mounted in barbette
on it's sea face. A big sand dune had
been raised by the winds and stood on
a level with the north wall; and from
this point I could easily observe the
interior condition Of the fort. The car
riages Of the heavy guns on the sea
face, had been burned, and were still
smouldering, the guns spiked, and
few United States soldiers were still
moving ordnance and other stores
across the terre plain over the sea
face, to be loaded in boats for Fort
Sumter, only twelve hundred yards
away, and in the middle Of the channel
entrance to the city. My observation
from this point concluded went
around to the sallyport on the land
side, and there met Lieutenant jeff c.
Davis whom I found in charge, with
sergeant and eight men. He was COM
municative and confirmed what 1 had
seen as to the condition and said he
was only there with small sqaud or
men to take care Of the government
property Major Anderson's forces had
not been able to remove the night be-
fore, and he supposed that the Seces-
sionists would not let him remain
there very long. He declined to per-
nit me to enter the fort.
1 returned to the city and made my
report verbally to the governor about
1.3O o'clock, and was then asked to re-
tire, as the governors council was
summoned to convene. In less than
an hour, St. Michael's bells rang the
agreed signal for the militia to assem-
BILE, and before nightfall, two regi-
ments-the First and the Seventeenth
were in ranks and under arms.
Ferry boats were in readiness, and the
militia embarked. One of. these reg
iments landed at Castle Pinckney, an
out of date fortification few hundred
yards from the city wharves, and took
possession. Lieutenant r. M. Marsh,
a sergeant and one or two men were in
charge. The other regiment landed on
Sullivans Island and marched up the
sandy street of the village, and made
rush over the low parapet walls OF
Fort Moultrie. The officers in charge