War of the Rebellion: from the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies and Navies

Operations in Charleston Harbor — Confederate Records

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WAR DEPARTMENT, Montgomery, March 2, 1861. Brigadier-General BEAUREGARD, Commanding at Charleston: GENERAL: The Secretary of the Treasury has directed Governor Pickens to transfer to your credit, as commanding officer at Charleston, the sum of $20,000, to meet your present necessities. Other arrangements are in progress, with every prospect of speedy success, to place to your [...]

War of the Rebellion: from the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies and Navies

Operations in Charleston Harbor — Confederate Records

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WAR DEPARTMENT, C. S. A., Montgomery, March 1, 1861. Brig. Gen. P. G. T. BEAUREGARD: SIR: You will proceed without delay to Charleston and report to Governor Pickens for military duty in that State. You are authorized by your appointment as brigadier-general, under the provisions of the third section of an act of the Congress [...]

War of the Rebellion: from the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies and Navies

Operations in Charleston Harbor — Confederate Records

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“… the President has appointed Peter G. T. Beauregard brigadier-general to command the Provisional Forces of this Government in the harbor of Charleston.” WAR DEPARTMENT, C. S. A., Montgomery, March 1, 1861. His Excellency F. W. PICKENS, Governor, &c.: SIR: Your letter of the 27th ultimo addressed to the President has been referred by him [...]

War of the Rebellion: from the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies and Navies

Operations in Charleston Harbor — Confederate Records

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“Major Whiting is here, and thinks our energies have been too much directed to attacking Fort Sumter, and not enough to the defenses of the harbor, so as to prevent re-enforcements, &c.” STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, Charleston, S.C., February 27, 1861. The PRESIDENT OF THE CONFEDERATE STATES, &c., Montgomery, Ala : DEAR SIR: I received [...]

War of the Rebellion: from the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies and Navies

Major Whiting to inspect works in Charleston Harbor for President Davis.— Confederate Records

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MONTGOMERY, ALA., February 23, 1861. Maj. W. H. C. WHITING: MY DEAR SIR: You will proceed to Charleston and deliver the note addressed to Governor Pickens, which you will find herewith inclosed. After conferring with him as to the time and mode of visiting the different posts in Charleston Bay, you will enter upon a [...]

War of the Rebellion: from the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies and Navies

Operations in Charleston Harbor

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WAR DEPARTMENT, February 23, 1861. Maj. ROBERT ANDERSON, First Artillery, Commanding Fort Sumter, Charleston Harbor, S.C.: SIR: It is proper I should state distinctly that you hold Fort Sumter as you held Fort Moultrie, under the verbal orders communicated by Major Buell, subsequently modified by instructions addressed to you from this Department, under date of [...]

War of the Rebellion: from the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies and Navies

Operations in Charleston Harbor

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HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, New York, February 22, 1861. [COL. L. THOMAS, A. A. G. :] SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your confidential letter of the 21st instant, conveying instructions of the General-in-Chief. I have already taken steps towards executing those instructions, by conferring with Captain Ward, of the Navy, [...]

War of the Rebellion: from the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies and Navies

Confederate Congress resolution in relation to the occupation of Forts Sumter and Pickens. — Confederate Records

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CONGRESS, February 22, 1861. Mr. Bartow, from the Committee on Military Affairs, reported the following resolution, which was adopted, viz: Resolved, That the President of the Confederate States be requested to communicate, in such manner as he may deem expedient, to the governors of South Carolina and Florida the resolution of Congress concerning Forts Sumter [...]

War of the Rebellion: from the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies and Navies

Operations in Florida – Jefferson Davis Correspondence

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EXECUTIVE OFFICE, Montgomery, Ala., February 22, 1861. His Excellency Governor PERRY: SIR: The subjoined resolution was passed by Congress, in secret session, and the injunction of secrecy, you will perceive, has been removed only so far as to authorize me to communicate in the manner deemed expedient, and I must, therefore, ask that you consider [...]

War of the Rebellion: from the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies and Navies

Winfield Scott.—Looking to relieve Sumpter.—Expresses fear of telegraph.—Operations in Charleston Harbor

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HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, Washington, D.C., February 20, 1861. Lieut. Col. HENRY L. SCOTT, A. D. C.; &c., New York: See Captain Ward, commanding the North Carolina, receiving ship, and ask him to get his squadron ready as soon as he can, and let you know how many recruits he will want in addition to [...]

War of the Rebellion: from the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies and Navies

Ex-President Tyler’s message to Governor Pickens about a Sumter rumor. — Confederate Records

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[FEBRUARY 18(?), 1861.] Governor PICKENS, Charleston, S.C.: Kingman, known as “Ion,” who corresponds with the Baltimore Sun, and is considered reliable in his letter of yesterday, says he has seen and read a letter from a former member of Congress from South Carolina, which assures him that Fort Sumter will be taken on or before [...]

War of the Rebellion: from the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies and Navies

“…a sudden check upon the military enterprise of the South Carolinians?”—Operations in Charleston Harbor

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FORT SUMTER, S.C., February 17, 1861. General Jos. G. TOTTEN, Chief Engineer U. S. Army, Washington, D.C.: GENERAL: Everything is quiet, and there are no evidences of the presence of many troops around us, nor of military preparation. The assumption of all questions relating to forts, arsenals, &c., by the Congress of the Southern Confederacy [...]

War of the Rebellion: from the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies and Navies

The complete report of the surrender of the arsenal at Augusta.—Captain Arnold Elzey.—The Secession of Georgia

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WASHINGTON, D. C., February 15,1861. SIR: In compliance with your letter of this date, I have the honor to submit the following complete report of the surrender of the United States Arsenal at Augusta, Ga.: On the morning of the 23d of January, ultimo, I received from the governor of Georgia, then in Augusta, backed [...]

War of the Rebellion: from the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies and Navies

Governor Pickens responds to Confederacy resolution on forts.—“The denial, therefore, of the right of the State to have possession of the fort was, in fact, a denial of its independence.”—Confederate Records

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HEADQUARTERS, CHARLESTON, S.C., February 13, 1861. Hon. HOWELL COBB, President of the Provisional Congress: SIR: I had the honor last night to acknowledge the receipt of your telegram, in which you informed me that the Provisional Congress had taken charge of the “questions and difficulties” now existing between the several States of the Confederacy and [...]

War of the Rebellion: from the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies and Navies

From a message to Governor Pickens: “… the guard-boats, and occasionally small row-boats from Morris Island, have recently violated your orders by coming too near our walls.”—Operations in Charleston Harbor

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HEADQUARTERS, FORT SUMTER, S.C., February 13, 1861. His Excellency F. W. PICKENS. Governor of South Carolina: SIR: Knowing that your desire to prevent, and your determination, as far as in your power, to guard against the recurrence of anything calculated to add to the excitement which already unfortunately exists, I deem it my duty to [...]

War of the Rebellion: from the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies and Navies

Confederacy resolves to take charge of issue of forts — Confederate Records.

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FEBRUARY 12, 1861. No. 5.—A RESOLUTION in relation to the occupation of the forts and arsenals, &c. Resolved by the Congress of the Confederate States of America, That this Government takes under its charge the questions and difficulties now existing between the several States of this Confederacy and the Government of the United States of [...]

War of the Rebellion: from the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies and Navies

Meanwhile, at Ft. Pickens.—Lt. A. J. Slemmer.—Operations in Florida

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FORT PICKENS, FLA., February 12, 1861. Hon. J. HOLT,   Secretary of War: SIR: Since the departure of Lieutenant Gilman as special messenger for Washington nothing of special interest has transpired. I am continuing the defenses, mounting guns on the ramparts, and blocking up the casemate embrasures. Having observed a battery in course of erection [...]

War of the Rebellion: from the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies and Navies

“Yesterday I landed at Fort Pickens, assumed command of the forces on the station, inspected the defenses, and had a consultation with Lieutenant Slemmer.”—Israel Vogdes.—Operations in Florida

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PENSACOLA HARBOR, FLA., February 7, 1861. Col. L. THOMAS, Assistant Adjutant-General, U. S. Army: SIR: I have the honor to report that I arrived on this station yesterday in the U. S. steamer Brooklyn, with Company A, First Artillery. I met orders here which prevent the landing of my company or the re-enforcement of the [...]

War of the Rebellion: from the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies and Navies

Response to South Carolina’s proposal to “buy” Fort Sumter — “The title of the United States to Fort Sumter is complete and incontestible.”—Operations in Charleston Harbor

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WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, February 6, 1861. Hon. I. W. HAYNE, Attorney-General of the State of South Carolina: SIR: The President of the United States has received your letter of the 31st ultimo, ¹ and has charged me with the duty of replying thereto. In the communication addressed to the President by Governor Pickens, under date [...]

War of the Rebellion: from the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies and Navies

“…having been advised of the seizure of the forts in Mobile Bay, I deemed it proper, having received no instructions from Washington, to endeavor to prevent, by all the means in my power, a like seizure here.”—Lt. A. J. Slemmer

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FORT PICKENS, FLA., February 5, 1861. SIR: Having heard rumors that the forts and other public property in Pensacola Harbor were to be seized by troops under the orders of the governor of Florida, and having been advised of the seizure of the forts in Mobile Bay, I deemed it proper, having received no instructions [...]

War of the Rebellion: from the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies and Navies