The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1911-04-20
SAW SUMTER BoMBARDMENT.
Police Lieutenant Tells of First
Battle of the War.

Battle of the War.
The Baltimore News of Wednes-
day. April IL, publishes the follow
ing interesting account of the bonn
tardment of Fort Suster, as seen by
Frederick T. Crate who took part
In battle and who is now Il lieuten-
ant on the police in the Maryland
metropolis. His statement that the
signal gun which opened the bonn
bardment of the fort was fired on
Mount Pleasant differs from those
OF others who took part in the en-
goEement and who assert that the
signal came from James Island
Lieut. Crate is quoted as follows:
AT the age of 10 | enlisted in
the Confederate army at Baltimore,
March is, 1861, and was immediate
ly sent to Charleston, S. c., for du-
ty. Upon my arrival there was
detailed to duty OH the light ship
at Rattlesnake Shoals, Cooper River
and Wappo Cut. After being on the
ship several days | was promoted to
sergeant and placed in command of
the ship. My duties were to block
ade the boats going in and out of
Charleston harbor | was relieved
from duty on the light ship several
days before the firing upon Fort
Sumter and placed on what was
Johns Island. The battery was a
small scow. which was constructed
on the scale OF fort. 1t was
manned by about 100 men and sew
eral large cannon. There were sew
er;:l of these floating batteries in
the harbor, having been placed there
by Gen. p. G. T. Beauregard pre-
paratory to the attack upon the
fort.
Beauregartl Ordered Firing.
"On the day OF April IL, 1861. or
ders came from Gen. Beauregard for
the batteries to be prepared for ac-
ton at moments notice. and to
start firing at Fort Sumter when a
caruon was fired from Mount Pleas
rnt. on Sullivan's Island. a short
distance away. When this order
was circulated among the forces it
created much excitement among the
men. All during that day cannon
were swabbed cleaned and loaded
ready for action, and when night
fall arrived none OF the men went
to sleep. The; were too much ex-
cited to sleep, and sat in their
quarters wide awake during the en-
tire night awaiting the signal to op-
en- fire
At about o'clock, April IL, the
came. There was blue flash
on Mount Pleasant, followed by the
dealeninG roar Of gun, and the
bCmbardment was on
Fire Not Returned.
Major Anderson, who was in
command of Sumter. did NOT return
the ilr' until 6 O'Clock rho darG
mes" "t "a" night hampcr,d the fr.
of ihC Confederate forces TO 4 gre,
"AienI, but when the day broke they
GOT tie rang" and threw \ deadly
E1lley OF shrapuel and sGcN INTO
Fort Sumt"r. Major Anderson. white
he was tired upon from all sides.
fought gallant battle. lie refused
to surronE"r and fought thrnughur,
IN" entire day and night, but was
forced tn surrender April l3. at -
% clock, and leave the fort Gen
Heaurcgard in consideration of his
noble stand, allowed Major AndCr-
son to leave The fort with side arms.
After the surrender of Fort sum
ter, | was placed in the fort, where
) remained several months, until [
was transferred to a neighboriuw
post, on James Island Anderson,
IN his defense of the fort had re
IniorcCd the walls with palmetto
wood, on which our shells had very
little cfrCct. Later | was transfer
I'D from the James island battery
and placed in compar at Fort
MouitriC. After being there for
some time { was transferred to Nor
RS i#iand Hattery While stationed
there our battery was attacked by
Gen sherman during his march 40
tn" sea- We were defeated aud
driven back a.. James Island, where
Z wna made prisoner Of waT and
taken Lu Nlinn Head There 7 was
held pr'a,"'r untU after Che close |.
of the war when | shipped on q /
tramp StCn II and went to New /.
York. from where l came to Balti- J
more"