Alfred Roman, The military operations of General Beauregard in the war between the states, 1861 to 1865

[142]

I am only surprised, Sir, at the limits you have set to your demand. If, in order to obtain the abandonment of Morris Island and Fort Sumter, you felt authorized to fire on this city, why did you not also include the works on Sullivan's and James islands—nay, even the City of Charleston—in the same demand?

Since you have felt warranted in inaugurating this method of reducing batteries in your immediate front, which were found otherwise impregnable, and a mode of warfare which I confidently declare to be atrocious and unworthy of any soldier, I now solemnly warn you that if you fire again on this city from your Morris Island batteries, without granting a somewhat more reasonable time to remove non-combatants, I shall feel impelled to employ such stringent means of retaliation as may be available during the continuance of this attack.

Finally, I reply that neither the works on Morris Island or Fort Sumter will be evacuated on the demand you have been pleased to make. Already, however, I am taking measures to remove, with the utmost possible celerity, all non-combatants, who are now fully aware and alive to what they may expect at your hands.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

G. T. Beauregard, Genl. Comdg.

There was a rejoinder to General Beauregard's remonstrance, and an attempt was made by the Federal Commander to justify the course he had followed. He must have been doubtful of the correctness of his position, however, for we find the following concluding passage in his letter: ‘* * * But, upon your assurance that the city is still full of them’ (meaning women and children), ‘I shall suspend the bombardment until eleven o'clock P. M. tomor-row, thus giving you two days from the time you acknowledge to have received my communication of the 21st instant.’¹ General Gillmore did accordingly, but must have been disappointed at the result of his experiment. The 8-inch Parrott rifle with which he shelled the city of Charleston, from the work called ‘The Swamp Angel,’ fortunately burst at the thirty-sixth round. No other gun was placed in the Marsh Battery after this.²

From the 16th to the 23d of August, Sumter had been subjected to the most terrific bombardment on record. This renowned fortress was doomed to inevitable destruction. The journal kept at the time by its Commander³ corroborates the