Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1905-02-18
An Attack ON Sumter.

An Attack on Sumter.
Many well-laid scheme of battle
falls through ON account of some
small oversight and the world knows
only of the ignominious defeat, or.
perhaps, does not even hear of the at
tempt. Mr.. Andrews tells in Lotus
Leaves" the story of an intended at
tack upon Fort Sumter which will be
new TO many.
General Gilmore had made his
headquarters on Morris Island, where
he had taken the Confederate forts.
Wagner and Gregg 4 fleet was sta
toned near commanded by Admiral
Dahlgrcn. 1t had been waiting about
for some time. fearful of entering
Charleston harbor on account of sus-
pected mines.
Gilmore, tired of inaction, deter
mined to take Sumter 10y assault The
upper part of the fort was IN ruins.
but the lower portion was intact ana
garriSoned One night in September
the general slgnaled the admiral nat
be would attack Sumter that night
The admiral replied that he intended
to do II himself. and had made his
plans for that very night. Had not
General Gilmore heard OF his inteu-
tionF he asked
Not very good feeling existed he
tween the commanders, and the gen
eral answered hluutly that il was very
strange they had both planned for the
same night Were his arrangements
known to the feet?
The signals went flashing back and
forth. II was proposed that the par
ties unite for the attack, but this idea
did not meet with approval At last
1t was decided that each expedition
should act independently, but would
cooperate If necessary, and that the
party who captured the fort should
| display a red light upon the parapet.
The admiral agreed to send off his
boats ut o O'Clock that night, and that
the generals men, who had farther 10
row. should precede them 10y fifteen
minutes.
Wv Ai'A ~ ''fifalA'i's i''otN'l- 'tAHi
not resist the temptation of stealing n
march upon his naval rival, and he
started his company as soon rs it was
dark enough. From Morris Island to
Fort Sumter was a row of twenty
minutes; but the boats soon returned,
reporting that they had not proceeded
more than halfway when brisk flu
sllnde was heard from the fort, and
in moment a red light sh0ne out
from the parapet Surprising that the
naval party had captured Sumter they
turned about and came back. The
| chagrin Of having been outwitted was
forgotten In the joy that the enemy
had been taken.
Meanwhile the naval party had an-
| dergone similar experience Ad.
miral Dahlgren had sent his men Off
as soon as the dusk made it safe to
proceed The boats had gone only a
little way when the firing began and
/ the red signal was displayed Feeling
sure that the general had the best Of
It, the boats returned TO the flagship
with their report
In the morning the truth came ont.
Instead Of cipher for signaling the
plans for attack, the ordinary code
| had been used. and the Confederates.
stationed at Fort Sumter, had read
every word, and were prepared for
| any assault They had waited until
both expeditions were under way, aud
| then had opened fire and shown the
red light for the purpose Of deceiving
| each party into thinking the other had
captured the fort. The trick was sue.
ccssful, ana the army and the navy
had retired quietly without firing a
shot.