Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 13.djvu/489

 488 Southern Historical Society Papers.

of South Carolina, drawn by a Federal bullet, would indissolubly cement the Confederacy of the Southern States. There was plausi- bility in this opinion in the light of the fact that a majority of the delegates elected to the Georgia State Convention were opposed to secession. Virginia was in the same condition. The Union senti- ment in North Alabama and parts of North Carolina was over- whelming.

On the yth of March there was considerable excitement among the troops. A gun in one of the batteries bearing on Sumter, sup- posed to be charged with a blank cartridge, was ordered to be fired. To the astonishment of the officers in command, it was found to be shotted. The ball struck Fort Sumter. For a while it was thought that Major Anderson would return the compliment in kind. Major P. F. Stevens was dispatched, under flag of truce, to apologize for the accident. The apology was accepted, and the hopes of those who desired a fight, and the fears of those who did not, failed of realization.

On the 2ist of March, Captain G. V. Fox, United States Navy, reached Charleston, and was permitted to visit Major Anderson. Captain Hartstein, one of our people who had resigned from the Navy and was in the service of the State, accompanied him. It was generally thought that this visit portended the early removal of Anderson and his garrison. Many of the newspapers, both North and South, confidently expressed the opinion that the troops would be withdrawn. Yet, day after day the flag went up, and no prepara- tions could be seen for an evacuation.

On the 22d, General P. G. T. Beau regard, by the authority of the Confederate States, assumed command of all the troops in South Carolina and established his headquarters in Charleston. His pres- ence greatly encouraged us and raised our spirits. He visited and inspected the works around Charleston and did not slight the Wee Nees at Vinegar Hill. Many of them had the pleasure of making the acquaintance and grasping the hand of their new commander. He fully agreed with th*e Captain in his views as to strengthening the post so as to prevent the approach of troops that might be landed on the south end of the island.

On the 25th Colonel Ward C. Lamon, the former law-partner of Mr. Lincoln, was sent by the Government at Washington to bear an- other communication to Major Anderson, Colonel U. S. Duryea, of Governor Pickens's staff, was detailed to accompany him. We began to think it very suspicious that so many messengers came