THE FIRST STEP IN THE WAR.
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before the bombardment of Sumter, April 12tli. The feeling of the Con-federate authorities was that a peaceful issue would finally be arrived at; butthey had a fixed determination to use force, if necessary, to occupy thefort. They did not desire or intend to take the initiative, if it could beavoided. So soon, however, as it was clearly understood that the authoritiesat Washington had abandoned peaceful views, and would assert the power ofthe United States to supply Fort Sumter, General Beauregard, the commanderof the Confederate forces at Charleston , in obedience to the command of his.Government at Montgomery , proceeded to reduce the fort. His arrangementswere about complete, and on April 11th he demanded of Major Andersonthe evacuation of Fort Sumter. He offered to transport Major Andersonand his command to any port in the United States ; and to allow him tomove out of the fort with company arms and property, and all privateproperty, and to salute his flag in lowering it. This demand was deliv-ered to Major Anderson at 3:45 p. m., by two aides of General Beauregard,James Chesnut, Jr., and myself. At 4:30 p. m. he handed us his reply,refusing to accede to the demand; but added, “Gentlemen, if you do notbatter the fort to pieces about us, we shall be starved out in a few days.”
The reply of Major Anderson was put in General Beauregard’s hands at5:15 p. m., and he was also told of this informal remark. Anderson’s replyand remark were communicated to the Confederate authorities at Montgom-ery . The Secretary of War, L. P. Walker, replied to Beauregard as follows:
“ Do not desire needlessly to bombard Fort Sumter. If Major Anderson will state the timeat which, as indicated by him, he will evacuate, and agree that in the meantime he will not usehis guns against us, unless ours should be employed against Fort Sumter, you are authorizedthus to avoid the effusion of blood. If this, or its equivalent, be refused, reduce the fortas your judgment decides to be most practicable.”
The same aides bore a second commu-nication to Major Anderson, based on theabove instructions, which was placed inhis hands at 12:45 a. m., April 12th. Hisreply indicated that he would evacuatethe fort on the 15th, provided he did notin the meantime receive contradictory in-structions from his Government, or addi-tional supplies, but he declined to agreenot to open his guns upon the Confederatetroops, in the event of any hostile demon-stration on their part against his flag.Major Anderson made every possible effortto retain the aides till daylight, making oneexcuse and then another for not replying.Finally, at 3:15 a.m., he delivered his reply.In accordance with their instructions, theaides read it and, finding it unsatisfactory,gave Major Anderson this notification: