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117]
Chapter 5: events in Charleston and Charleston harbor in December, 1860.--the conspirators encouraged by the Government policy.
- Fortifications in Charleston harbor, 117.
-- Major Anderson takes command and warns the Government, 118.
-- treason in the War Department
-- alarm of the conspirators in Congress, 120.
-- the conspirators supplied with arms, 121.
-- military preparations in Charleston, 124.
-- the Government deaf to warnings and suggestions of Anderson and Scott, 125.
-- seizure of Fort Monroe contemplated, 126.
-- disruption of Buchanan's Cabinet, 127.
-- Anderson and his garrison leave Fort Moultrie and occupy Fort Sumter, 129.
-- raising of the flag over Sumter, 130.
-- rage of the conspirators
-- joy of the loyalists, 131.
-- Mrs. Anderson's journey to Fort Sumter and back, 133.
-- preparations to attack Fort Sumter, 136.
-- seizure of forts in Charleston harbor, 137.
-- seizure of the Custom House and post
-- office, 139.
Events that occurred in the harbor of
Charleston during the latter part of December, 1860, were quite as exciting as those in the city of
Charleston.
There are four military works there belonging to the
National Government, namely, Castle Pinckney,
Fort Moultrie,
Fort Sumter, and
Fort Johnson.
Castle Pinckney is situated upon the southern extremity of marshy land known as
Shute's Folly Island, and is near the city.
It presents a circular front on the harbor side, as seen in the engraving.
It is not strong, and was never considered very valuable as a defensive work.
At the time in question it had about fifteen guns mounted
en barbette, or on the parapet; and some columbiads, and a small supply of powder, shot, and shell, was within its walls, but no garrison to use them.
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|
Castle Pinckney. |
Fort Moultrie is on
Sullivan's Island, between three and four miles from
Charleston, near the site of the famous little palmetto-log fort of that name, which defied the British fleet in 1776.
At the time we are considering, it was
in reality only a large inclosed water-battery, constructed with an outer and inner wall of brick, capped with stone, and filled between with sand, and presenting a solid mass about sixteen feet in thickness.
It was built with salient and re-entering angles on all sides, having a front on the southeast, or water side, of about three hundred feet, and a mean depth of about two hundred and forty feet. During the autumn, about one hundred and seventy men had been employed by the post commander,
