The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-03-06
AN INTERnsTrNa sToRX

Of Procuring Shot and Powder i'm Enr-
 Iy Days of Confectionery. Atlanta Georgian.
 General John Battle Erwin, of South Carolina, tells this story of the manner in which the Confederate government procured the shot and powder with which Fort Sumter was bembarded.
 T got the. story direct from Bob Toombs,p says General Erwin. ~You will recall that he was the first Con- federate cabinet as Secretary of state. When he resigned and took the field, l was on the staff.
 At the beginning of tbe Wilderness campaign he said to me one afternoon:
 " Come Erwin. I'm going over to see General Johnston. His wife and some of her young lady relatives are making a visit. and I'll take you along to en- certain them
 "As we rode along Toonns began to reminisee He described tho many diff faculties they had in forming the Con- federate government. He pointed Out some of the mistakes which he thought they had made.
 'tThe chief of these was. remember ia not following the advice of Alex Stephens, buying the cotton crop and shipping 1t abroad before the enemy had time to blockade our ports. From these subjects. which lie spoke ofewith NSSP AOSICt1 HIS H1L0Td4ly DuVXdnI LGil- perament turned to the many little amusing incidents pouring at the time.
 '' Did you ever hear how we got the shot and shells that fired the first guns of this war; he asked, and the recoI- lection evidently amused him greahtly. Of course the conditions in Charles ton harbor was one of the first matters taken up by MT. Davis and his cabi- net &
 At the time Montgomery was ov- errun by unofficial delegates from Vir- ginia and the other wavering states, all of them urging us to strike the first blow. For" said they, 'Khe mo- ment war actually begins the waverers will join the seceders. We will rush the issue and force the states out of the union into the Confederacy."
 |" As you know General Toombs con- tinued "all the cabinet were not in favor of our striking the first blow. We wanted Mir. Lincoln to be the ag- gressor. Finally, however, the bonn bardment of Fort Sumter was decidded on. and Walker, as Secretary of War, Beaureguard to prepare for the at tack. ,1
 '" You know walker A good Ala bama lawyer, but about the last man for a cabinet position in a government in its formative period He sincerely believed that the sending Of that tell egram ended his connection with the affair. Beauregard's reply was short and to the point:
 '" Where Is your shot? Where is your powder?' he asked.
 " Walker rushed to the president in consternation. There wasn't time to send abroad, and making ammunition ourselves was out of the question.
 " Davis called cabinet meeting. Everybody had suggestions. and the conference lasted far into. the night. At last 1t was decided to ask Governor Joseph k. Brown to turn over to the Confederate government the shot and powder purchased in England for the defense of Georgia, before the state join cd the Confectionery.
 The telegram was sent. and we were not kept long waiting or Browns reply. It was this:
 '' The government of Georgia will turn over to the government of the Confederate States of America the de- sired amuntions of war, provided the said government will purchase the oth- CT supplies bought at the same time and for the same purpose--10,000 pairs of shoes 10000 pairs of blankets. and two little gunboats now stationed at the mouth of the Savannah river, reimburse mg the state of Georgia for the whole.
 " The secretary of war was in rage. The president was nettled
 "'"Brown deserves to Dc impeaehed. Walker declared. "The idea of the gov ernor of a state presuming to dictate terms to the president of the confed- eracy"
 Davis was more calm of spaAah