Year: 1878

S&A. tFaWfGFQ II fHHa 1lmeS.


On the morning of the 11th of April, the
dawn Of day disclosed an activity at once
unusual and significant over the whole har-


Dor. The waters were covered with yes.
sells hastily putting to sea. An iron-clad
floating battery of four guns, the construc-
tion of which in Charleston had been watch
ed By the garrison for months. was towed
down the bay to point at the western
end of Sullivan's leland, where its guns
bore directly upon Fort Sumpter. Awond-
en dwelling oa the beach, near the end of
the Island, was pulled down, and unmask-
cd land work, mounting four guns, hith-
erto unknown to the garrison. Its FIRE
would enfilade the most important battery
of Fort Sampler: which was upon the para
det of the right flank of the work, and
whose guns were mainly relied upon to
control the fre from the heavy guns on
Cummings Point, that would take the
fort in reverse. Bodies of troops were
landed and the batteries On shore fully
manned, and every preparation completed,
when at o'clock P. M., a boat under a
white flag approached the fost. Colonel
Chestnut and Captain ). D. Lee were ad-
mitted to the guard room, just inside the
main entrance to the work. They bore a
communication from the military command
ant at Charlestown, to the following effect.
1t stated that the government of the Con-
federate States had hitherto forborne from
any hostile demonstrations against Fort
sumpter, in the hope that the General
Government would voluntarily evacuate in
order to avoid war, and that there was
reason to believe that such would have
been the course pursued, but that the
Confederate Government could NO longer
delay assuming actual possession of for
tification SO important to it. The evacua-
tion of Fort Sumter was demanded in the
name of the Government of the Con-
federate States. All proper facilities were
rendered to Major Anderson for the remo-
val of himself and his command. He was
to take with him his company and private
property; and salute his flag upon taking
it down.


Calling the officers of the garrison his
private room, he laid the communication
before them, and then for the first time
made known to them the confidential dis
patch from the Government, received
few days previously, in which their deter
mination to relieve the government was
expressed, and Instructions in regard to
it conveyed. In this communication au-
thority was given him to capitulate when
the necessity of the case required it. The
conference of the officers was long and ear
nest. There was no thought for moment
of acceding to the demand for the evacua
ton of the fort and the following reply
was returned by Major Andersen That
the demand for the evacuation of the Fort
was one with which be regarded that his
sense of honor and his obligations to his
government prevented his compliance.
On receiving this communication the Con-
federate officers left the Fort. The entire
interview was characterized by the utmost
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 ar
ticle. AS they were abont to embark, Ma
ior Anderson remarked in their hearing
that he would be starved out anyhow in
few days, if their guns did not batter him
to pieces, and this was repeated more spe-
cifically to the Confederate officers in reply
to their inquiries on the subject. As the
boat returned, the batteries around were
covered with spectators, all anxiously
awaiting the result of the mission.