The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-11-12
Anniversaries Of the Famous Old Citadels That Were
Scenes OF Conquess During the Civil War Just Fifty
Years Ago Millions Of Dollars Expended to Build
hese Giant Buttresses and Arm Them With Great
Gms-la es of Famous Fights That Have Cen
tired About these Old Backgrounds Of the
American People.
By FRANCIS TREVELYAN MILLER

ter on the bosom OF the waters. Threa
and half miles away is the equally
historic old city
sumter IS one OF tho remarkable
feats Of carly engineering. IL is built
on mud bank. reinforced with ships
OF granite brought from New England
quarries, at an expense Of more .han =
half million dollars. II required ten
years to lay its foundation. The huge
nrick and concrete stronghold, with its
three tiers or platforms TO hold i4v
guns. was reared on this artificial is
land AT cost of another half million
dollars.
The Most Famous Fort In America.
This year is like a natal day TO old
sumter. for IT was here that this great
est war of modern times actually came
10 an issue. 1t was one Of thosc inc.
vitablc events through which civiliza-
ton always moves. The romantic story
OF Major Anderson, who passed through
the siege of fame behind Sumter, and
tho soldicry dignity Of General Beaure-
gard. which resulted In the raising of
the flag or the Confederacy over this
historic old fort IS known the world
over 1t was the beginning OF "A series
of valorous events which nave never
been equaled in the annals OF mankind.
AS one stands to-day OH the parapets
OF Fort Sumter he can Imagine that
scene or Nifty years ago when IL Law In
tue fury OF its storm of shell and flame.
Curling white smoke hangs over
Charleston harbor. The Earring thun-
der rolls at regular intervals. Waves
Of foul saltpetre sm!te the senses Of the
thousands Of spectators and the com
batants. AS II in sympathy with the
melancholy scene. the sky is hidden by
angry rain clouds casting a sombre
shadow oil the opening scene OF the
Civil War.
The bombardment continued through
out day and night. with the approach
Of evening, the sight became one OF
solemn splcndor. The rain clouds had
been increased by tho tremendous cx-
plosions of artillery. The sky was a
dead black. The steady breeze from
the sea carried the thunder with pain
ful distinctncss to the shore. At regu-
lar intervals. lurid sheets OF na.nc
split the curtain of night. The trails
or the shells were plainly marked by
the burning fuses. sometimes ending in
a splash of binding lightning as a
shell burst prcmaturely' in flight.
Flames swept the fort, until the In
terror OF Sumter WAS n raging inferno
The powder ma gazinc was threatened
blankets. dampcned by water. and
ditch. dug around the magazine. served
TO prevent the explosion which would
have blown the garrison into the har-
Dor.
1t was under this siege OF fire that
old sumter lowered the Stars and
Stripes amid the roar OF ifty guns, and
with banners flying and drums beating
Yankee Doodle" the garrison evacuat-
cd.
Two wears later Fort Sumter stood
under It's second siege. when a huge
fleet OF Federal vessels appeared in
Charleston harbor and Admiral Du
Pont brought his guns TO bear upon
the historic old fort. For forty min
utes the guns Numbered, but, despite
the fact that the fleet fired Isl shells
into the fort the Confederate flag con-
tinued to wave. The Confederates
fired 2,209 shells at the feet, ninety OF
which struck the Federal vessel Kco-
kuk and sank her.
y few months later. a combined naval
and land attack was precipitated upon
I.c Sumter. In which 5,o0s shells, weigh
ing 5o2,6S3 pounds. were hred-i,IiT
struck the fort. From then OF sum
ter was under AN almost continuous
bombardment. But the Confederates
held her gallantiy. and did not give
up until Sherman's army had advanced
through South Carolina and made the
position untenable.
Five days after the surrender OF the
Army OF Northern Virginia, and on the
day that President Lincoln was assas-
sinated Major Anderson, the first de.
render of sumter. stood In the centre
OF a group OF distinguished men of the
North. In his hand was the bullet rid
den flag that hal fioated over the fort
four years before. Amid the strain OF
music from assembled bands, and while
the guns of the harbor thundered the
national salute ofione hundred guns. he
attached the flag to the halyards and