Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History
Benson Lossing, Ed.

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Moultrie, Fort, seizure of

Major Anderson abandoned weaker Fort Moultrie, and went to stronger Fort Sumter, on the evening of Dec. 26, 1860. He left officers and men to spike the guns, burn the carriages, and cut down the flag-staff, that no other banner might occupy the place of the national flag. The bewildered citizens of Charleston saw the smoke of the burning carriages at dawn, and when they knew its origin, the disunionists were greatly exasperated. The Secession convention requested Governor Pickens to take possession of the government property in and around Charleston. The arsenal, into which Floyd had crowded arms, was seized in the name of the State of South Carolina, and thus 70,000 stand of arms and a vast amount of stores, valued at $500,000, were placed in the hands of the enemies of the government. Men of Charleston, equipped with these weapons, went in two armed steam-vessels and seized Castle Pinckney (which was surrendered by its commander, N. L. Coste), and took possession of dismantled Fort Moultrie in the name of “the sovereign State of South Carolina.” The fort was strengthened, new breastworks were constructed, and heavy guns were mounted.