Fort Sumter

ANDERSON

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 2/5/2008 at 11:48:10

Muscatine Journal
April 19, 1861

[Special to the New York Times.]

CHARLESTON, April 11.

Three steamers were seen off the coast yesterday for a long time.

Maj. Anderson fired a signal gun this morning.

An attack on Fort Sumter by the South Carolinians is momentarily expected.

Business is suspended.

It is rumored that the fight will commence at eight o'clock this evening unless Maj. Anderson surrenders.

It is said the Harriet Lane is off the bar. Thousands of persons are lining the shore to witness the attack.

CHARLESTON, April 12.

The fighting has continued all day without intermission. Two of Fort Sumter’s guns have been silenced, and it is reported that a breach has been made in the south wall.

The answer to Gen. Beauregard’s demand by Major Anderson, that he would surrender when his supplies were exhausted, that is, if he was not reinforced.

Not a casualty has yet happened to any of the forces.

Of the nineteen batteries in position only seven have opened on Fort Sumter. The remainder are held in reserves for the expected fleet.

Two thousand men reached this city this morning, and embarked for Morris Island and the neighborhood.

CHARLESTON, April 13 – 10:30 a.m.

At intervals of twenty minutes, firing was kept up all night on Fort Sumter.

Major Anderson ceased firing from Fort Sumter at 6 o’clock in the evning. All night he was engaged in repairing damage and protecting the barbette guns. He commenced to return the fire at 7 o’clock this morning. Fort Sumter seemed to be greatly disabled. The battery on Cumming’s Point does Fort Sumter great damage.

At 9 o’clock this morning, a dense smoke poured out from Fort Sumter. The Federal flag is at half mast, signaling distress.

The shells from Fort Moultrie and the batteries on Morris Island fall into Major Anderson’s stronghold thick and fast, and they can be seen in their course from the Charleston batteries.

The cannonading is going on fiercely from all points – from the vessels outside and all along our coast.

It is reported that Fort Sumter is on fire.