76
THE FIRST STEP IN THE WAR.
“Fort Sumter, S. C. , April 12, 1861, 3:20 a.m.— : Sir: By authority of Brigadier-GeneralBeauregard, commanding the Provisional Forces of the Confederate States, we have the honorto notify you that he will open the fire of his batteries on Fort Sumter in one hour from thistime. We have the honor to be very respectfully, Your obedient servants, James Chesnut,Jr., Aide-de-camp. Stephen D. Lee, Captain C. S. Army, Aide-de-camp."
Tlie above note was written in one of the casemates of the fort, and in thepresence of Major Anderson and several of his officers. On receiving it,
he was much affected. Heseemed to realize the fullimport of the consequen-ces, and the great respon-sibility of his position.Escorting us to the boatat the wharf, he cordiallypressed our hands in fare-well, remarking, “If wenever meet in this worldagain, God grant that wemay meet in the next.”
The boat containing thetwo aides and also RogerA. Pryor, of Virginia , andA. R. Chisolm, of SouthCarolina , who were alsomembers of General Beauregard’s staff, went immediately to Port Johnsonon James Island, and the order to fire the signal gun was given to CaptainGeorge S. James, commanding the battery at that point. It was then 4 a. m.Captain James at once aroused his command, and arranged to carry out theorder. He was a great admirer of Roger A. Pryor , and said to him, “ Youare the only man to whom I would give up the honor of firing the first gunof the war ”; and he offered to allow him to fire it. Pryor , on receiving theoffer, was very much agitated. With a husky voice he said, “ I could not firethe first gun of the war.” His manner was almost similar to that of MajorAnderson as we left him a few moments before on the wharf at Fort Sumter.Captain James would allow no one else but himself to fire the gun.AThe boat with the aides of General Beauregard left Fort Johnson beforearrangements were complete for the firing of the gun, and laid on its oars,about one-third the distance between the fort and Sumter, there to witnessthe firing of “ the first gun of the war” between the States. It was fired froma ten-inch mortar at 4: 30 a. m., April 12th, 1861. Captain James was a skill-ful officer, and the firing of the shell was a success. It burst immediatelyover the fort, apparently about one hundred feet above. The firing of the
CONFEDERATE MORTAR-RATTERY ON MORRIS ISLAND, COMMANDEDLIEUTENANT C. R. HOLMES. FROM A PHOTOGRAPH.
■fe When the Star of the West arrived, on the9th of January, the first shot, aimed across herhow, was fired by G. E. Haynsworth, and thesecond, aimed directly at her, by Cadet Horlbeck.It is claimed that before this date a hostile shot