The National tribune., 1907-01-24
Aulershn's Secrecy.


! while was !ralllfhg with the Major on
| the parapet, he Turned to me abruptly
and asked me what would be the best
course to take to- render the gun-car-
riages unserVicethle. l told him there
We're severaP rfSthods but my plan
would be to lfgap pitch-pine knots
around them,n anP burn them up. The
question was'l too suggestive to escape
my attcntiono
.On the dEy previous. to our depart
ure | requested him to allow me to pur-
chase large ,ouahtity of wire. to make
an entanglcrdentfh front of the part of
| the work l wis assigned to defend. He
said with quizzical look. "Certainly;
| YOU shall have a mile of wire if you
| require it, When / proposed to send
for it Immediately, he smiled. and OBJ
| iccted in such a peculiar way that | at
once saw that he was no longer inter-
ested in our efforts TO strengthen Fort
Moultrie.
AS preliminary to the proposed
movement he directed the Post Quar-
termaster. Lieut.. Halt to charter three
schooners and some barges. for the os-
tcnSibic purpose of transporting the
soldiers families to old Fort Johnson.
on the opposite side of the harbor.
whore there were some dilapidated
public buildings belonging to the
| United States. The danger of the ap-
proaching conflict was Il good prcteXt
for the removal of the non-com batants
All this seemed natural enough to the
lc"o-aw, and no ore ofc1Ici an opprsi-
ton. In reality, these vessels were
floaded with supplies for all the troops,
with reference to a prolonged residence
in Fort sumter. Hall was directed to-
land everything there as soon as n sig
nal gun was fired. In the meantime he
sailed for. Fort johnson. and lay off
and on, waiting for the signal.
n I,1I vol t,ic
mess and on the last evening of our
stay (Dec. 26) l left my room to ask
him in to take tea with US. The sun
was Just setting as | aScended the steps
leading to the parapet and approached
him. He was in the midst of group
of officers, each of whom seemed silentt
and distrait. As I passed our Assist
ant Surgeon, ! remarked, 1T is a fincl
evening, Crawford He replied in al
hesitating and embarrassed manner,
showing that his -thotS We're elsewhere. |
| saw plainly that something unusua
had occurred. Anderson approached |
me AS | advanced. and. said quietly, Il |
have determined to-. evaCuate this post
Immediately for the purpose of occu
pying Fort Sumter; L can. only allow
you 20 minutes to form your company
and be in readiness to start / was
surprised at this announcement and
realized the gravity of the situation at
Il StdHCt. we were Mdtcfbu DN spies
and vigilance committees, who would un-
doubtedly open ire upon us as seea- as
they saw the object of the movement.
was naturally concerned. too, for the
safety of my wife, who was the only |
lady in the Fort at that time. and who
would necessarily be exposed to consid-l
cradle danger. FOrtunatcly; had little |
'or no property to lose, As, in anticipa-
fion Of a crisis. had previously sent
everything ef value tQ New y ors. Some
.aGithc othsr officers did not fare sci
veil. The b6ctor, fotci.1pSrtnfg 30 sne;>
de-, a denostincnS aalgesa$sariIy, II, lssGIt..,
bis, medical; SLorfs. uflI.afFsd. F6stsf,I7
who had tas5en "a S7ittisd. eAs<]4. 6c-,s ,aiai
Id hsavji%- = ~ ,&'> = !
= " made spod ~ of the - a1iny@ss
allowed me. I first went to the bar
ra'ks. forn'dd my company inspected |
~. and saw .that each man w}ts properly /
armed and equipped. This left me- ~
inutes TO spare. I dashed py'-As>tts--.''s4
,aarters; toidJa E-s lie. 70 get ready to
leave Immediately, and as the fightiHE |
would probably commence in q feW|
minutes. l advised her to take refuge
with some fan,5fyi outside, and get be-l
hind tiie sandEHif5ias asSen as possiblei
Go avoid tvthe'a9lotoG -4;he hastily threw
her -w6arif'sl qaat,a,sl into her trunks, /
and Gltled TN o 4f1eni-to put her bag
corapaneds her there" iY6d we took a
sad and hasty leave of each other, for
neither knew when 1er where we would {
meet again AS soon as hhis wa.; ats-
mplished, strapped on my revolver
tIIsd u .blsn ketvacross my 5sh6i1derS, ana
10 Maj anderson taat-YArt mem
We're m 'rcadiIiuss TO move.
in the meantime -Lkaao SefHsi%oh' C'
Davis, of my company, who had. beer.
dst iioii, 10 command rfh6 rear guard.
aimed the guns. which ware e.a,.i vfi
hfadcd,'-to mar upon the passage to
Fort Stun1eE-apd CaptyFdAterHGifd 'As1
Sfstaut Surgeon CraWford, with two
antigtrEce priVatcs. remained
with him and took post. at FIVE trdIumH
tfadss in readiness 10 carry out Mai.
AnGerson's design. which was 10 sink
the auard-boats, should they attempt
to fire into US or+run us down while
en- route. Certainly the Major showed
no lack Of determination or energy on
this occasion. ''E