The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-08-12
nr n. N. C~larkson. Who Tells Most
Graphically this Story OF Historic
~.rtcrcst. l. the Father Of Mrs. Rob-
,,tsOn. Who il the Wife OF
Ji,onias X. Robertson. OF Raleigh.

tfV~ot. II tbS Ni
Thomas X. Robertson, Of Raleigh.
Charleston. with its beautiful harbor, al
ys n point OF historical interest and
naturally defenSible, was in 1ND guarded
by four fortresses. Castle Pinckney, bulit
on a shosl near the city. was ungaTrisoned
and OF minor importance Fort JonhSon.
OH James Island, was comparatvei! OF
little use Fort Moultrie, on sullivan : IS
land. three or four miles from lhaIies,on
was built on the site of the little tort OF
palmetto logs made memorable in the war
for independence by General MonitI'es
heroic defense against the hrltlsh neet III
t11t Fort Sumter was the most important,
rising apps rently ont of the sea IN the
middle OF the entrance to the harDor ABOUT
n mile from Fort Moultrie and three ana
on. half miles from the city. 1t was bulit
OF brick and concrete masonry, ana us
wallis. sixty feet high and from eight to
twelve feet in thickn mes We're is pl sa r sor f1r
two Founders, the other two for elyht-lnch
and tcn-inch Colunbiads.
During the fateful year of 1869 Colonei
Gardiner, Of the United States army, who
had been in command of Charleston liar
bor, with headquarters at Fort Moultrie,
being u~njustly suspected of sympathy with
the sccesSioniStS, was removed from ms
post on November ~ and was succeeded Dy
Major Robert Anderson. of Kentucky. u
brave and gallant officer. VINO nad aiSiin-
guishcd himself in the war with Mexico.
Major Anderson found all the harbor de
fcnScs in poor condition. and so wrote TO
Adtutant General Cooper, Of the United
states army. calling special attention to
Fort Moultrie 'as inviting attack by It's
weakness"
Andersou's position was delicate and
ever day apparently more and more
threatening. Although the Carolinians al
lowed II continuance Of mail facilities be-
tween Charleston and his headquarters at
Ford Moultric. and while he Witnessed the
seemingly wnrlikc preparations going on
around him. he could hear CT nothing en-
couraging 10 him from his government at
Washington. Consequently on the night
OF the 10Th Of December. just before the
rising If Il full moon aud after spikinG his
guns and burning everything of conSe-
Quence. he moved secretly by means OF
small boats the little garrison of seven off
GERS aud siyty-onc artilleriStS. with q few
women aud children. from Fort Moultrie t.
the more defcusiblc stronghold of Sumter
Early next morning. as the dawn was
breaking over the waters OF the harbor
the smoke of the burning material revealed
to the astonished people of the city thi,
change OF base. The secret was ont. ane
great was the Indignation. The citizeu'
ut war aud as u direct violation Of a com
pact which they claimed bad been mad
on December o, 1860. by Mr.. Buchanan
who was then President. with the Stat
authorities Of South Carolina to the effec
that mo endorsements should be sen
into those forts. and their military statu
should remain as at present"
John u. Floyd. Of Virginia. then Secre
tary NJ War IN l;uchanan's cabinet. claim
ing that the solemn pledge Of the govern
ment had been violated. insisted that tn
national troops TASt be withdraw from
the harbor of Charleston. President Eu
chanan refused to do this, on the advice 0
General Scott. the commander in chief o
the United States army. ThereupOn Score
tary Floyd resigned from the cabinet, an
ny the nrst cali for troops to invade VII
ginia he entered into the service Of tn
South.
Excitement was now at its height. Tt
South Carolina Convention. still in session
requested Gov. +. w. Pickens to take pos
session of Fort Noultrie. Fort Johnson an
. Castle Tinckncy. This was done with a
AssI .Nlnrtf- vLa -
envy was used as a general rendezvou
The government arsenal. with its militar
stores. was seized. Two hundred men III
der mman Of Col. J. j. Pettigrew (wt
was killed In 1Sta; when covering Lee
retreat from Gettysburg with a briga,
raised and equipped by himself were sci
Ia seize Castle P~inckney. the commando
OF which. after a slight resistance, fed
Fort sumter. At the same time &C
hundred and twcnty five artilierlsts. Ian,
Ell on Sullivan's Island and occupied 70
M"nltrie, its solitary sentinel having su
sion was raised but as it was after nigh
fall. aud it could not be seen by the peop
Of Charleston, three rockets were sent
Major l.. r.. Stevens. of the State Militia
Academy. had been ordered with a d
tachnsent Of state cadets, about fifty
number. to build and man on Morris ]
lSnd, on the opposite side Of the harbor.
battery. Of three ~ -pounders, bearing
Ship Channel. On the afternoon Of t
- my ~ tilN IL u
from the city the lately arrived Column
Flying Artillery. under command Of Ca
Allen y. Green, began patrolling the h;
Dor.
After continuing this work through I
night. tho steamer landed the artillerym
ON the beach Of Sullivan'S Island. T
company finally marched into Fort No,
tric Z" report to Major X. =. Ripley, W
had been made eommandant Of the 70
To this company the writer belonged. h:
ing fallen in with il as the men W,
rapidly marched through Charleston to
port for duty on the island. It. was ma
impossible for Il vessel to enter Charlcst
tarbar and reach Sumter without paSSi
withi, range If guns Of large CALL
pointing either from Fort Moultrie or fir
the Morris Island battery.
ON the afternoon If the day following
evacuation Of Nuultric II message was =
rs Governor fichenS tn Major Auder,
REQUESTING him to return t. the abandon
t'rt. This anderson refused to do.
the contrary. the Federal ,fticcr sent
adJutant next day t. the commander
Fort Muuitric asking by what author
WAS kC with uY1p.J n i'm .lat f,rt