HEADQUARTERS STEAMSHIP ATLANTIC, Off Key West, April 12, 1861. Lieut. Col. E. D. KEYES, Secretary to General-in-Chief, Washington, D.C.: COLONEL: In obedience to the special instructions of the General-in-Chief, I proceeded to New York on the 2d, and arrived there on the morning of the 3d instant, and was engaged until Saturday, the 6th, in [...]

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 12, 1861. Hon. SIMON CAMERON, Secretary of War: SIR: I have the honor to report that in obedience to your instructions, dated April 6, 1861, I left Washington on the evening of the same day in company with Mr. R. S: Chew, and arrived at Charleston, S.C., on the evening of the [...]

HEADQUARTERS PROVISIONAL FORCES, Charleston, S.C., April 12, 1861. SIR: We have the honor to submit the following report of our movements and action: After leaving the brigadier-general commanding last night, at 11 o’clock p.m. in obedience to orders we repaired with the second communication to Major Anderson, at Fort Sumter. This communication was based on [...]

HEADQUARTERS U. S. TRANSPORT SHIP ATLANTIC, April 11, 1861. Capt. E. B. HUNT, U. S. Engineers, Fort Taylor: SIR: You will make a reconnaissance of the island of Key West with a view to the erection of any field-works which may be required to enable the garrison of Fort Taylor and of the town of [...]

HEADQUARTERS U. S. TRANSPORT SHIP ATLANTIC, April 11, 1861. Lieut. J. ST. C. MORTON,   Fort Jefferson, Tortugas: SIR: You will act in concert with Major Arnold, commanding the harbor of the Tortugas, in preparing with the least possible delay projects for the complete temporary defense and occupation of the whole harbor of the Tortugas. [...]

U. S. TRANSPORT SHIP ATLANTIC, April 11, 1861. Bvt. Maj. L. G. ARNOLD,   Commanding Fort Jefferson: SIR: You will take measures for the occupation by sea-coast earthen batteries of all the points in the harbor of Tortugas necessary to secure a complete command of the anchorage and of the channels of entrance thereto. For [...]

HEADQUARTERS PROVISIONAL FORCES, C. S. A., Charleston, S.C., April 11, 1861. SIR: In obedience to the orders of Brigadier-General Beauregard, we left headquarters at 2.20 p.m., charged with a communication from him to Major Anderson, at Fort Sumter, in which we were authorized to demand the evacuation of the fort. We arrived there at 3.45 [...]

HDQRS. PROV. ARMY CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA, Charleston, S.C., April 11, 1861. Hon. L. P. WALKER, Secretary of War, Montgomery, Ala.: SIR: I transmit herewith, for the information of the Department, a copy of my note of this morning to Major Anderson, commanding at Fort Sumter, demanding the surrender of that fort to the Confederate [...]

U. S. TROOP-SHIP ATLANTIC, Lat. 32 deg. 13‘, Long. 74 ° 49‘ 15“ April 10, 1861. Hon. WM. H. SEWARD, Secretary of State: DEAR SIR: We expect to touch at Key West, and will be able to set things in order there and give the first check to the secession movement by firmly establishing the [...]

MONTGOMERY, April 10, 1861. General BEAUREGARD, Charleston: If you have no doubt of the authorized character of the agent who communicated to you the intention of the Washington Government to supply Fort Sumter by force you will at once demand its evacuation, and if this is refused proceed, in such manner as you may determine, [...]

HDQRS. PROV. FORCES CONFEDERATE STATES, Charleston, S.C., April 9, 1861. Maj. ROBERT ANDERSON, Commanding at Fort Sumter, Charleston, S.C.: SIR: Your favor of this day has just been received, through Captain James. The private letters you refer to in the mail of yesterday were sent to their destination, but the public ones were sent to [...]

“… by God’s providence we will, I trust, be prepared for them; and if they approach with war vessels also I think you will hear of as bloody a fight as ever occurred.” MONTGOMERY, April 9, 1861. General BEAUREGARD, Charleston: Major Anderson’s mails must be stopped. The fort must be completely isolated. L. P. WALKER. [...]

WASHINGTON, April 8, 1861. General G. T. BEAUREGARD: Accounts are uncertain, because of the constant vacillation of this Government. We were reassured yesterday that the status of Sumter would not be changed without previous notice to Governor Pickens, but we have no faith in them. The war policy prevails in the Cabinet at this hour. [...]

[APRIL 8, 1861.] AN ORDINANCE to transfer to the Government of the Confederate States of America, the use and occupancy of the forts, arsenals, navy-yards, custom-houses, and other public sites within the limits of this State. We, the people of South Carolina, in convention assembled, do ordain and declare, and it is hereby ordained and [...]

HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, New York, April 8, 1861. First Lieut. EDWARD McK. HUDSON, Fourth Artillery, Comdg. U. S. troops on the steamer Baltic: SIR: I am instructed by the General-in-Chief to say to you that the destination of the two hundred recruits embarked on the steamer Baltic is Fort Sumter, and that “Capt. G. [...]

PENSACOLA, April 7, 1861. Hon. L. P. WALKER: Your dispatch of 5th answered by telegraph and letter. I shall fire upon any re-enforcements to Pickens unless ordered not. Need supplies called for in my ordnance requisition. Have but few cartridge bags and no flannel. I shall send to Mobile for some to-day, but have no [...]

HEADQUARTERS OF THE PROVISIONAL ARMY, C.S., Charleston, S.C., April 7, 1861. Maj. Robert ANDERSON, Commanding at Fort Sumter, Charleston Harbor, S.C.: SIR: In compliance with orders from the Confederate Government at Montgomery, I have the honor to inform you that, in consequence of the delays and apparent vacillations of the United States Government at Washington [...]

U. S. TRANSPORT ATLANTIC, [New York,] April 6, 1861—2 ½ p.m. Hon. WM. H. SEWARD, Secretary of State: DEAR SIR: By great exertions, within less than six days from the time the subject was broached in the office of the President, a war steamer sails from this port; and the Atlantic, built under contract to [...]

WAR DEPARTMENT, A. AND I. G. O., Montgomery, April 6, 1861. Brig. Gen. BRAXTON BRAGG: The Government at Washington have determined to re-enforce Fort Pickens, and troops are now leaving for that purpose. S. COOPER, Adjutant and Inspector General.

HEADQUARTERS CONFEDERATE STATE TROOPS, Near Pensacola, Fla., April 6, 1861. Hon. L. P. WALKER, Secretary of War, Montgomery, Ala.: SIR: Your dispatch of the 5th instant reached me this morning, and was answered immediately. Mine of the 3d, asking if I might attack,   was predicated on several occurrences which I could not explain in [...]

[APRIL 6, 1861.] Hon. ROBERT TOOMBS, Secretary, &c., Montgomery, Ala.: No change in the activity of the warlike armaments mentioned yesterday. The rumor that they are destined against Pickens and perhaps Sumter is getting every day stronger. We know nothing positive on the subject, but advise equal activity on your part to receive them if [...]

WAR DEPARTMENT, C. S. A., Montgomery, April 6, 1861. Brig. Gen. G. T. BEAUREGARD, Commanding Charleston Harbor, Charleston, S.C.: SIR: Your letter of the 4th instant has been received. In reply to your inquiry as to Major Anderson’s mails, I have to say that the policy of the Government is most decided that there shall [...]

PENSACOLA, April 6, 1861. Hon. L. P. WALKER: I can control the dock, but re-enforcements can be landed on the outside Santa Rosa Island in spite of me. The ships, except the Wyandotte, are beyond my range. She can be driven off or destroyed. Any attack by us now must be secretly made by escalade. [...]

HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, New York, April 6, 1861. Lieut. CHARLES R. WOODS, Ninth Infantry, Act. Supt. East. Dept., R. S., Fort Columbus, 21. N.Y.. : SIR: The General-in-Chief desires that two hundred recruits from Fort Columbus be at once organized into two companies, and held in readiness for embarkation on Monday next, the 8th [...]