Year: 1878

1he DemauO tOr tue SurTcuutT


Of the Observation-Disclosures


Gallant Reply.


On the morning Of the 1lth Of April.
the dawn of day disclosed an activity at
once unusual and significant over the
entire harbor. The waters were covered
with vessels hastily putting to sea. An
lron,clad floating battery of four guns.
the construction of which i'll Charleston
had been watched by the garrison for
mouths, was towe1 down the bay to a
point at the western eud Of Sullivan's
Island, where its guns bore directly
upon Fort Sumter. 4 wooden dwelling
on tie beach, near the emp Of the island
was pulled down and unmasked land
work, mounting four guns, hitherto un.
known to the garrison. Its 6rc would
en6lade the most iml ortant battery of
Fort Sumter, which was upon the para
pct of the right flank Of the work, and
whose guns were mainly relied upon to
control the fire from the heavy guns on
Cummings Point, tha, would take the
fort in reverse. Bodies Of troops were
landed and the batteries on the shore
fully manned, and every preparation
completed, when at 4 o'clock p. NJ,
boat under a white flag approached the
fort


Two officials. ailes.dc-cawp Of tho
general commanding the Confederate
forces in the harbor, Colonel Chesnut
and Captain S D. Lee, were admitted
to the guard room just inside the main
entrance to the work. They bore
communication from the military COM
mandant at Charleston. and to the follow
ing effect: 1t ia stated that the govern
ment of The Confederate States had
hitherto Corborne from any hostile de-
mOns,ration against Fort Sumter, in the
hope that the general government would
voluntarily evacuate it in order TO avert
war, and that there was reason TO be-
lieve that such would have been the
course pursued, but that the Confederate
government could no longer delay "as-
suming actual possession" Of foriifi'
cation 50 important to it. Tbs evacun'
ton Of Fort Sumter was demanded in
tie name Of the government of the
Confederate States. All proper facl!i-
ties were rendered to Major Anderson
fer the removal Of himself and his
corlmsnd. He was to take with him
his company and private property aud
tn salute his flag upon taking it down.


Calling the officers of tho garrison
into his private room, he laid the com-
munica,ion before them, and then for
the first time made known to them the
confidential dispatch from the govern
nent. received 4 few days previously,
in which their determination to relieve
the fort was expressed, and instructions
in regard to it conveyed. In this COM
munication authority was given him
to capitulate when the necessity of the
case required it. The conference of
the officers was long and earnest. There
was no thought for a moment Of acceding
to the demand for the evacuation of the
fort and tho following reply was
returned by Major Anderson
That tue demand for the evacuation Of
the fort was one with which he regret
ted that his sense of honor and his OBJ
legations to his goTernmeut prevented
his compliance"


On receiving this communication the
Confederate officers left the fort. The
entire interview was characterized By
every courtesy, though more distant
and formal than in previous conferences.
They were followed to the main gate of
the work by Major Anderson and the
writer Of this article. As they were
about to embark, Major Anderson re-
marked in their hearing that he would
be starved out any way in few days, if
their guns did not batter him in pieces,
and this was repeated more specifically
to the Confederate officers in reply to
their inquiries on the subject. As the
boat returned, the batteries around were
covered with spectators, all apIiously
watching the resul. of the mission"