January 19, 1861, The Charleston Mercury
(From the Auburn Union.)
General Segoine has kindly permitted us to publish the following letter received by him on Saturday last, from Captain Abner Doubleday, who is with Major Anderson at Fort Sumter. It speaks for itself:
FORT SUMTER, S.C., Jan. 6, 1861.
MY DEAR SIR: It is a matter of great satisfaction to me to see that our movements here have been approved by my former townsmen, and that the heart of New York still beats warm and true for the Union. We have been so long surrounded with trimmers and traitors, that I began to fear the love of the national flag was dying out in our country. You cannot imagine the annoyance of the South Carolinians on finding themselves forestalled in the possession of this important work. At Fort Moultrie everything had been repaired for a desperate stand; but we could have done little against the powerful batteries of this fort, which would have been turned against us in addition to an army of at least 10,000 men, who would have assailed us on the land side. Our own lives were of little consequence, but our defeat would have involved the loss of this harbor to the United States, a loss that would have been irreparable. The State still continues her aggressive actions. The Charlestonians are surrounding us with batteries on every point of land in the vicinity, and are arming them with guns from forts they have seized. This is done with the hope of preventing any vessel from coming to our assistance and also with a view to force us ultimately to surrender from a lack of supplies. In this I think they will be disappointed, for there is no such word as surrender in Major Anderson’s composition. The war garrison of this fort is six hundred men. We have about seventy; but should they attack us, I hope the country at large will have no reason to find fault with our defence.
One of our boats and some of our men have been captured. The lights in the harbor have been out, the buoys taken up, all communication has been cut off with us except such as the governor chooses to authorize, and yet we hesitate to fire upon them. Major Anderson still hopes that wiser counsels may prevail amongst them, and that something may occur to prevent the impending strife. May God grant it, but if war must come, let the people rise in their might, and maintain the integrity of the Union. That cause will carry the hearts of thousands with it, even in the slave States themselves. I shall probably not soon have an opportunity to send another letter to any person North. I must close abruptly, as the gentleman is about leaving who will take this.
Yours very truly, A. DOUBLEDAY, Capt. U. S. A.
Major General J. SEGOINE
(Roast beef, turkey, ham and champagne every day for Captain DOUBLEDAY. For Capt. FOSTER, of Vermont, also. We do the honors of war magnificently at Charleston, do we not?)