The Washington times., 1915-09-25

There Is a difference OF opinion-as
to when the first gun Of the war be-
tween the States was hred. but that 1t
was fred at Charleston Is generally
conceded. The Star Of the West.
steamer sent with supplies for the gar
rison at Fort Sumter by the Federal
authorities, was fred on by cadets OF
the South Carolina Military College on
January .. 1851. Hostilit!es. however.
began in earnest when Fort Sumter
was attacked the following April.
From the time President Llncoln's 9
election was declared carly In Novem-
bor, 1890 secession was In the air. When
secession did come on December 20 1t
was received Is the call Of the State
to arms.
SIX days after South Carolina had
severed connections with the Union,
Fort Mouitrte. suiiivan's Island. and
transferred his garrison under cover of
darkness to Fort Sumter. South Caro-
lima troops Immediately occupied Fort
Ptnckney. Fort Moultrie. and Fort
johnson. The arsenal In the city was
seized.
Major Anderson was at once request.
to do 50. He referred Governor Pick.
to p: aar II the We're upsa ,ssa
notified that the sending Of re-enforce.
ments totbe harbor Of Charleston would
be regarded by the State as an act OF
The Hon. I. W. Hayne was sent as
. special envoy to President Buchanan
to request that the fort be turned over
to the. State. 1t amounted practically
to nothing.
Star OF West Fired On.
That South Carolina delayed action in
<se matter was due to efforts Of other
Southern States who wished an amicable
settlement. 1t was during the early
part Of January that the Star OF the
West attempted to enter tho harbor with
supplies for Fort Sumter. A battery on
Morris Island opened fre: and the
the South Carolina Military Academy.
at Charleston, fired the first gun. which
was the first gun Of the war.
bama, Florida. Georgia. Louisiana. and
Texas seeded during January and early
in February the Confederate govern
inent was formed at Montgomery. Presi-
dent Davis appointed Brigadier General
fortitications at Charleston. Feeling
against the Federal Government was at
the boiling point.
It was about O'Clock on Thursday
afternoon April II, 1851. that General
Bea auresard demanded Major Anderson's 8
immediate surrender. The major re-
fused Major Anderson was then asked
II he would evacuate without resort to
exhausted. This was refused. Orders
were then given to the batteries.
Two guns from Fort Johnson an
nounced the opening OF the night. at
about 5:2a o'clock Friday morning.
Fort Sumter was almost surrounded
by batteries, Directly opposite was
Fort Mouitrle commanded by Col r.
>. Ripley The Iron Battery at Cum
Island. was commanded by Capt. q. 8.
James; Gen. James Simons was In COM
mand Of the battery on Morris Island.
while while the famous floating battery. Just
manded by Captain Hamilton. A NOR
tar battery was on Mt Pleasant. in
command OF Colonel Ripley.
mGFs em un beS, rsd By ossF MsSF
or o'clock that morning. Then a reg
ular hail Of shot and shell was poured
on Fort Moultrie. Stevens Iron Battery
and the Floating Battery. This can
nonade was returned with spirit by the
South Carolina troops.
Fort Moultrie Fired Upon.
Finding that no harm was done to
the Iron Battery Major Anderson con-
centrated his fire on the Floating Bat
terry About two or three hours before
dark the fire from Fort Sumter was
directed at Fort Moultrie. which lay
just opposite and about a mile distant.
4 Grand duello ensued until O. clock In
the evening.
Up until about o'clock Saturday
morning but few shots were fred The
nkht between the two forts was terrific
at this time. Sumter firing forty-four
NJ 1s.tA
the barracks to pieces. but doing little
damage otherwise.
Moultrie returned eleven shots In five
minutes. 1t soon appeared that the
10 o'clock a column OF white smoke rose
high above the battlements and was
followed by an explosion felt in the city
When hot fire was directed at the
hoating battery by the Fort sumte,
the State troops raised n cry Of Three
cheers for Major Anderson" which
were given with a VIM
Shortly after noon the staff from
which the nag was flying was sho,
whether 1t would be raised, but at tn.
expiration Of twenty minutes 1t agar
Ieappcared on tho eastern rampant.
Col. Louis T. Wigfall. aide to Genera
asked that Major Anderson surrende
Internationally.
Salute For Flag Demanded.
Major Anderson acauiesced and sur
rendered Internationally. Major Ander
son oapitulated on the following terms
"First-Atfording all proper faciiitie
for removing him and his command. to
gether with company arms and prop
erty. and oil private property.
"6econd-That the Federal flag he ha,
so long and SO bravely defended shoul,
be saluted by the vanQuished on takin,
It down.
"Third-that Anderson should be al
low ed to AK the time of surrender pro
vided II was on the following day"
Sunday afternoon. Major Xn6orson an