Chapter 13: the siege and evacuation of Fort Sumter.
- Determination of South Carolinians to have possession of Fort Sumter -- military preparations to that end, 310. -- Floating Battery at Charleston, 312. -- trying position of Major Anderson -- Anderson expected to leave Fort Sumter -- his appeals to his Government, 314. -- communication with Charleston cut off -- the crisis, 315. -- Virginia traitors in Charleston -- Pryor's speech, 316. -- Beauregard demands the surrender of Fort Sumter, 317. -- relief squadron off Charleston bar, 319. -- thunder-storm -- Fort Sumter attacked, 320. -- the garrison in Sumter, 321. -- the fire of the insurgents answered, 322. -- the relief squadron seen in the storm, 323. -- effects of the bombardment on Fort Sumter -- Second day of the siege, 324. -- the Fort on fire, 325. -- the flag shot away and replaced -- Wigfall at the Fort, 326. -- agreement to evacuate the Fort, 328. -- the defenders of Fort Sumter, 329. -- rejoicings in Charleston -- the old flag saluted, 330. -- evacuation of Fort Sumter, 331. -- honors to Major Anderson, 332. -- the Sumter medals, 333.
For three weary months after the expulsion of the Star of the West from Charleston harbor, Major Anderson and his little garrison suffered and toiled until their provisions were exhausted, and a formidable army, and forts or batteries, all prepared for the reduction of Fort Sumter, had grown up around him. The temporizing policy of the late Administration had compelled him to keep his guns muzzled while the treasonable operations were going on, and the new Administration continued the same policy until it was prepared to act with some vigor. From the hour when the South Carolina politicians declared that State to be an independent sovereignty, they had striven with all their might to sustain that declaration. The garrison in Sumter was a standing refutation of it, and every effort was used to wipe that disgrace from the newly made escutcheon of the Palmetto Empire. The Charleston Mercury almost daily published articles calculated to inflame the public mind, and, in spite of the prudent restraints of the band of conspirators at Montgomery, cause Sumter to be attacked. Its appeals were frantic, and assumed every phase of entreaty, remonstrance, and menace. Styling Fort Sumter “The bastion of the Federal Union,” it said:--“No longer hoping for concessions, let us be ready for war; and when we have driven every foreign soldier from our shores, then let us take our place in the glorious republic our future promises us. Border Southern States will not join us until we have indicated our power to free ourselves-until we have proven that a garrison of seventy men cannot hold the portal of our commerce. The fate of the Southern Confederacy hangs by the ensign halliards of Fort Sumter.” 1 The Convention and the Legislature of South Carolina worked in unison for the great end of securing the independence of the State. The latter appropriated eight hundred and fifty thousand dollars for general purposes; nine hundred and eighty thousand dollars for military and cognate expenses; and fifty thousand dollars for the postal service, when the National mail-routes should be closed. They also made preparations to organize a force of ten thousand men; and Milledge L. Bonham, a late member of Congress, was appointed major-general of the forces of that State. Volunteers from every part of the “Confederacy” flocked into Charleston; and at the close of March, not less than seven thousand armed men and one hundred and twenty
