The conduct of the defenders of
Fort Moultrie ought to satisfy the most sneering enemy of
South Carolina of the mettle of which her sons are made.
With the assurance that
Fort Sumter would turn its tremendous batteries at once upon their little fort, and convert it into a slaughter-pen, if they fired upon the "Star of the West," they fired nevertheless, and forced the steamer to give up her errand.
What was there in the unmolested and unmenaced movement of
Major Anderson from
Moultrie to
Sumter which compares with the nerve that was required to fire upon the Star of the West?
Yet, every Northern town has fired salutes over the one, whilst the other will be mentioned only with a sneer.
We doubt not that
Major Anderson himself is capable of equal gallantry with the Carolinians, but we fancy that no one is more astonished than that brave and experienced officer at the nonsensical hurrah which has been raised over his change of position.