Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1911-04-21

- sC~s~ mn
but failed to accompany the expedi-
ton. 1t was all too late. On April i
General Beauregard sent this message
to the confederate secretary of war
from Charleston: Batteries here
ready TO open Wednesday or Thurs
day. What Instructions" On the 9Th
came this appeal to the war depart
ment from the commander OF Fort
sumter: I cannot think the
government would abandon without
instructions and without advice a
command that has tried to do all it's
duty TO our country. Unless we
receive supplies / shall be compelled
to stay here without food or to ahan-
don this post very early next week"
Two days afterward came the letter
from Black giving information OF the
expedition, and expressing to Major
Anderson the hope that he would be
able to hold out until the 18th or 18th.
II was the last mail received from the
shore.
About 4 o'clock on the morning of this
18th Abner Doubleday, Anderson's sec.
ond in command, was awakened by the
major himself, and was informed that
news had been received that the on
federates intended to open fire an hour
later. IT was 4:S0 when George s..
James, or Charleston, pulled h lam
yard OF a single u from Fort John
son. Immediately afterward Edmund
Ruffin, an aged but red-hot secession
list Virginian, fired the shotted gun
from Morris Island. Not until Z O'Clock
in the morning did Sumter make re-
turn. Against the 81 enlisted men,
whose force had been augmented by
the volunteering Of the 43 workmen
then in the fortress. were arraigned 81
700 In the confederate batteries. As
well as they could the garrison kept
up a reply, fighting mostly from the
lower tiers. BY noon the number of
cartridges were almost expended. More
cartridge-bags had to be made. A
search among the soldiers disclosed the
fact that there but six needles. The
return fire had to be slackened while
clothing was being torn apart and
sewed into bags for the powder az fast
as the needles could work. BY the eve-
ming the garrison vas reduced 10 oniy
pork and water. There was no oil for
any OF the lamps, neither were there
breech-sights for the I'M they had
TO be improvised from notched sticks.
h enemy's shells landed with more
n more accuracy within the fort as
the beleaguers gained practice, but the
day closed without much material
damage TO Sumter's defensive strength.
Every 10 or 15 minutes during the night
that followed the batteries would
throw shells.
At daylight on the 18th the pound
ing began again. The new ~12-pounder
Blakeley rifle imported from England
and put in position by the c~onfederates
only a few days before did the most
damage, owing TO the depth of the
penetration of it's shot. A sergeant and
three men were wounded by fragments
thrown off from the walls. Fire broke
nNVfs thA a.s 1890
1ames. Ii was dangerous to carry
much powder from the magazine, and
soon that itself was in peril. All but
five barrels were thrown into the sea.
The men in the lower t.erS we're
threatened with ~suffocation. AS Cen
eral Doubleday wrote afterwards: THE
roaring and cracking OF the flames, the
dense masses of whirling smoke, the
bursting of the enemy's shells and our
own, which were exploding in the
burning rooms, the crashing of the
shot, and the sound OF masonry falling
In every direction, made the fort a
pandemonlum. There was a tower
at each angle OF the fort; one of these,
containing great quantities of shells
was almost completely shattered by
the successive explosions. The massive
wooden gates, studded with iron nails.
were burned. and the vail nri,int;
them was now a heap OF debris, SO hat
the main entrance was now open for
an assaulting party" Time and again
all hands were called away from sery-
ing h guns TO fight the fire, and when
partly mastered, once more the fort
would open.
But the feeb!eness in numbers OF tbe
garrison, the lack Of food and the want
OF ammunition. made q combination
against which mere bravery was use
less. AT i O'Clock the Flagstaff fell.
carried away by a shot. and
though the colors were raised
again on an improvised staff, the
word was soon brought 70 Major
Anderson that a boat with a white flag
was seen approaching. 1t contained ex-
Senator Wigfall, now a Colonel who
came to inquire IL the defenders wished
now TO surrender. Although WigfalI
use B~eauregard's name ii came out
afterward that his was wholly IMAM
thorized; but the proper authorities be-
ing communicated with, at 7 D. m.
after the passage OF correspondence.
Anderson agreed TO surrender, %stipulat-
ing that he should be allowed to salute
the flag as it was hauled down and to
march out with colors flying, drums
beating, n with arms and private
baggage. In pursuance OF this agree
ment another flag of truce was sent out
to the squadron and arrangement
made for carrying the gallant garrison
north.
April IA, the next day, was Sunday.
Major Anderson had intended to fire o
hundred guns when the flag was to
be hauled down. A salute OF SO guns
had been fired. when acoidentIy one of
them was prematupely discharged, and
one c~annoneer was killed, another
MORALLY wounded, and four seriously
injured. The departure Of the garrison
was delayed until 4 2. m, when tho
little company marched forth, accom-
panied by 40 laborers, who had fought
as bravely as any enlisted men, and
through the gate, with colors flying and
drums beating, they passed to embark
on the steamer Isabel. that carried them
out TO the steamer Baltic. They had
been Joined to the relieving fleet. BY
nightfall the brave defender and the
men who stood by him were on their
way northward.
Monday brought the call OF the presi-
dent On the loyal states to furnish "a. 600
men for the defense of the union. The
~confederacy had struck the first blow.
The wal was on.
ugh the nortn as wei as
through the south, the martial spirit
famed. 1t was so years 81 and out of
the ashes n devastation OF the great
conflict has risen a union stronger In
Il a a