April 13, 1861. |
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At a little before two o'clock, Colonels Chesnut, Pryor, Miles (W. P., who was a volunteer aid on Beauregard's staff), and Captain Lee, went over to Sumter directly from the presence of their commanding general, who was at Fort Moultrie, to inquire the meaning of the white flag.
When informed of the visit of Wigfall, they exchanged significant glances and smiles, and Colonel Chesnut frankly informed Major Anderson that the Texan conspirator had not seen Beauregard during the last two days. Wishing to secure for himself alone the honor of procuring the surrender of Fort Sumter, Wigfall had, by misrepresentations, obtained leave from the commander on Morris Island to go to the beleaguered fort.
He went there with a white flag in his hand and a black falsehood on his lips, and played a most ludicrous part.
He was an acknowledged and cherished leader of the rebellion, and was an admirable representative of the cause in which he was engaged, for it was the offspring of falsehood and fraud.
Assured of Wigfall's mendacity, the deceived and indignant commander said to the new deputation:--“That white flag shall come down immediately.”
They begged him to leave matters as they were until they could see Beauregard.
He did so, and the firing ceased.
The bombardment on Saturday
was seen by thousands of spectators.
About three thousand insurgent troops were engaged in the work, while almost double that number were held in reserve — mere spectators.
Beside these observers were the inhabitants of Charleston, who covered the roofs of houses, the Battery, the wharves, and every place where a view might be obtained.
It was like a holiday in that city.
The Battery was crowded with women, grayly dressed; and to most of the inhabitants it had only the significance of a sublime spectacle.
During the afternoon and early evening, several deputations from Beauregard visited Major Anderson, for the purpose of obtaining from him .better terms than he had proposed.
He was firm.
They offered him assistance in extinguishing the flames in Sumter.
He declined it, regarding the offer as an adroit method of asking him to surrender, which he had resolved never to do. Finally, between seven and eight o'clock in the evening, Major D. R. Jones, accompanied by Colonels Miles and Pryor, and Captain Hartstene,1 arrived at the fort with a communication from Beauregard, which contained an agreement for the evacuation of the fort according to Anderson's terms,, namely, the departure of the garrison, with company arms and property, and all private property, and the privilege of saluting and retaining his flag.2 Anderson accepted the agreement, and detailed Lieutenant Snyder to accompany
1 Captain Hartstene had been an excellent officer in the National Navy, and had some fame as an explorer of the Arctic seas, in search of Sir John Franklin. He had resigned his commission, abandoned his flag, and entered the service of its enemies. He was now a volunteer aid to Beauregard. His kindness to the garrison was conspicuous.
2 A ludicrous incident occurred at this interview. Colonel Pryor, armed with sword, pistols, and bowie-knife, and assuming the air of a man who possessed the fort and all within it, seeing a tumbler on a table, and what he supposed to be a whisky-bottle near it, poured out of the latter a sufficient quantity of liquid to half fill the former, and drank it, supposing it to be “old Bourbon.” The taste not agreeing with its appearance, he inquired if it was water, when Surgeon Crawford informed him that he had swallowed a strong solution of the iodide of potassium, a dangerous poison. Pryor, with face pale with terror, begged the surgeon to give him relief at once. His weapons were laid aside, a powerful emetic was administered, and in the course of an hour or so, that infamous Virginian went on his way rejoicing in his deliverance. Surgeon Crawford, wearing the stars of a major-general, met the traitor, just at the close of the war, in a really sadder condition than when he administered the friendly emetic.
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