Today in History:

250 Series I Volume I- Serial 1 - Charleston

Page 250 OPERATIONS IN CHARLESTON HARBOR, S. C. Chapter I.

[Inclosures.]


HEADQUARTERS PROVISIONAL ARMY C. S., Charleston, S. C., April 8, 1861-8 p. m.

Major ROBERT ANDERSON,
Commanding at Fort Sumter, Charleston Harbor, S. C.:

SIR: I have the honor to inform you that from and after this day no mails will be allowed to go to or come from Fort Sumter until further instructions from the Confederate Government at Montgomery.

I remain, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

G. T. BEAUREGARD,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

FORT SUMTER, S. C., April 9, 1861-2.15 p. m.

General G. T. BEAUREGARD, Charleston, S. C.:

GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge to have this moment received your favor of 8 p. m. April 8, notifying me that from and after that date no mails would be allowed to go to our come from Fort Sumter, and respectfully request that you would be pleased to have the mail or mails which were forwarded prior to the receipt of your notification returned to this post.

Confidently hoping that you will comply with the request,

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ROBERT ANDERSON,

Major, First Artillery, Commanding.


Numbers 100.] FORT SUMTER, S. C., April 11, 1861.

(Received A. G. O., April 26.)

Colonel L. THOMAS, Adjutant-General, Washington, D. C.:

COLONEL: Although not permitted to send off my daily report, I shall continue, as long as I can, to prepare them, so that if an opportunity is afforded me I shall have them ready. I have the honor to report that everything around us shows that these people are expecting the arrival of a hostile force, and they are making most judicious arrangements to prevent the landing of any supplies at this fort. Yesterday and this morning the garrisons of the works around us were re-enforced. Last night rockets were thrown up from Charleston and Mount Pleasant, about 12 o'clock, and a row-boat, bearing a red light, came down from Charleston and communicated with the guard-boats, consisting, as far as we could observe, of seven steamers and four schooners, and returned to the city about four this morning.

We see the iron floating battery this morning at the west and of Sullivan's Island, admirably placed for pouring a murderous fire upon any vessel attempting to lay alongside our left flank, and also well situated for enfilading the flanks of this work. With all our watchfulness-and I think no garrison was ever blessed with a more vigilant set of men-none observed the bringing down of that raft. They have also commenced another battery, say about eighty yards from the west end of Sullivan's Island.

They appear to be determined to get as powerful a fire as possible on the point designated as the one where provisions are intended to be landed, and, had they been in possession of the information contained in your letter of the 4th instant, they could not have made better arrange-


Page 250 OPERATIONS IN CHARLESTON HARBOR, S. C. Chapter I.