The National tribune., 1907-01-24

tempt to interfere with the passage OF
The boats upon the part of the guard
Loat, he was to fire upon her As the
2uardboat approached she was recOg-
uiZed at once. 1T was the Nina, and
her appearance was familiar TO us. 1t
was a moment Of suspense, as those
VINO We're left Immediately manned the
Guns. which Were trained directly upon
point she must pass. Directing our
glasses upon her the writer discovered
-as she crost the broad belt yCf moon
light that strecht across the channel.
that she was in the act of towing 4
vessel. This was at once made known
and she was allowed to pass Capt
Doubleday's boat crost her bow within
100 yards and rising and sinking upcn
the swell of the sea, she was soon lost
TO view in the dark shadows of the
Fort. Three afFfps- were made by the
boat, including. one. for the bedding and
other articles for immediate use. The
last boat had now past over without
lnoleStatiOn, when, in accordance with
the previous Instructions of Maj An
dersOn. two signal guns were fired from
Fort Moulrie, the writer firing the sec
und. The report of these guns was to
announce to Lieut.. HaIl-Who, in COM
mand of the lighters with the women
children and stores on board. was now
off Fort JOhnsOn-the transference OF
the command 10 Fort Sumter and his
duty to make all sail for that work.
Lieut.. Hall acted with prOmptnes5, altho
not without the opposition of Captain
of one of the lighters, who refused TO
proceed to Fort Sumter and only yield
I'D to force All had now been accom-
piished. and by o'clock the entire
command at Fort MouItrie had been
successfully transferred to within the
walls of Fort Sumter"
Immediately after the transfer of his
command. Maj. Anderson made the fol-
lowing report to his Government:
Fort Sumter, $. c., Dec 16, 1860;
5 p. m.
Colonel: have the honor to report
that l have just completed, by the
blessing of God. the removal to this
Fort of all my garrison, except the Sur
geOn, four non-commissioned officers,
and seven men. We have one years
supply of hospital stores and about four
months supply OF provisions for my
command. l left orders to have all the
guns at Fort Moultrie spiked, and the
carriages of the 32-pounders. which are
old, destroyed. | have sent orders to
Capt. Foster. who remains at Fort
Moultrie. to destroy all the ammunition
which he cannot send over. The step
which | have taken was, in my opinion,
necessary to prevent the effusion of
blood.
Respectfully, your obedient servant,
Robert Anderson. Major, 1st Art.
col. S. Cooper. Adjutant-General.'
\ MomentOus Religious Ceremony.
Maj. Anderson was a deeply relig-
ious man, and carried his piety into
every act of life He no more than any
other man then alive comprehendcd
the colossal Importance of the act he
had just performed. Still he felt much
of it's deep import. and as the flag was
fastened to the halyards for raising, he
ordered the Post Chaplain to offer
prayer. The Post Chaplain. Rev. Mat
thias Harris, of Maryland. was a loyal
man, and in full sympathy with the
garrison whose fortunes he had fol-
lowed. While in Charleston he went
to the Commandant of the State troops
to ask if he would be allowed to return
TO Fort Moultrie
Certainly replied the officer. Il
will give you a pass"
Il did not come to ask of you a |
pass, SIR" replied the Chaplain proud |
ly. Il am an officer of the United
States Army, sir, and have a right to
go to any place in its possession. II
merely wanted TO know If you would |
ry to prevent me-"
Giving the usual prayer-order of
Parade rest" Maj. Anderson knelt de-
soutly, and his example was followed
oy several officers and men.
The Flag rose slowly to the top of
he mast, and it's bright folds fiuttered
,ut softly in the silvery moonlight. 1t
'ose as the loyal act of n few score OF
much-perpleNed soldiers,
Who had only too much reason to
loubt whether they had a country left
o defend, or whether the Flag had
lot become a meaningless rag to the
people of the North, as il was a thinS
# derision and scOrn to the people of
he South. Those 20 blue-clad men
we're all that We're left to do it rever.
nee, amid all the polished gentlemen.
he accomplished ladies, the grave
tatesmen, the high officials, the great
merchants, the bowling demagogs and
he surging mohs of one of the great