April 11, 1861; The New York Herald
The News from Washington.
WASHINGTON, April 10, 1861.
The refusal to admit Captain Talbot to Fort Sumter does not alarm the government in the least.
The commanders of the naval and military forces now supposed to be off Charleston received only general instructions from the respective departments. That is, they are instructed to attempt, first, a peaceable supply of Fort Sumter with provisions, but if resistance be offered to force a relief, with both men and stores, at all hazards. The details of the operations are left to their discretion as their character will depend, of course, altogether on contingencies. But it is known in military circles here that, for a succession of attempts to reach the fort, in case of hostilities, both steamtugs and boats are expected to be employed. As soon as the first shot is fired by the revolutionists, an attempt will be made to effect a landing of the troops on board the transports in the rear of the attacking forces, and, if successful, earth works will at once be thrown up and batteries erected. The heavy ordnance shipped on some of the vessels is intended for that purpose. Hot work will be given by the government regulars to the secession volunteers.
The administration does not, in any event, expect hostilities to open before the return of the messenger despatched to Montgomery to announce its determination to relieve Major Anderson, with the reply of the revolutionary government. Some days may, then, yet elapse before the roar of artillery will be heard in Charleston harbor.
The administration does not, in any event, expect hostilities to open before the return of the messenger despatched to Montgomery to announce its determination to relieve Major Anderson, with the reply of the revolutionary government. Some days may, then, yet elapse before the roar of artillery will be heard in Charleston harbor.
It seems that the calculation for the arrival of the supply vessels at Charleston was not correct. At the War Department it is not expected that the government vessels will arrive there until tomorrow morning.
A despatch from General Beauregard, received this afternoon, states that there were no vessels off the harbor of Charleston. They were expected hourly.
A despatch from General Beauregard, received this afternoon, states that there were no vessels off the harbor of Charleston. They were expected hourly.
No movement would be made until an attempt was made to send vessels or boats containing supplies to Fort Sumter. When that shall occur, the batteries will at once be opened.
The President told a visiter tonight that decisive events could not be looked for before the last day of this week. He remarked, ‘We will then see whether they dare to fire upon an unarmed vessel sent to provision our starving soldiers.’ He expressed but little hope of the preservation of peace, but evinced a decided determination to relieve Major Anderson, and to hold the other Southern forts at all hazards. This is authentic, and can be implicitly relied on.
The President, in preparing to furnish relief to Major Anderson, if need be with all the naval and land forces at his command, is not only acting in accordance with his well known strict sense of duty, but a resolution formed and entertained all last winter in Springfield. The supposed determination of his administration to evacuate Fort Sumter surprised men who, during that period, were in the habit of hearing his praise of its valiant defenders, and his repeated and energetical expression of the hope and the desire that they should be sustained at all hazards. Men now here, who have been familiar with the characteristic firmness of his convictions and the stability of his purposes for years, never abandoned their belief that he would act upon his early resolves, although every symptom of the Executive intentions in the premises pointed to the contrary. They have shown that they know their man well.
It is now known that a number of the most distinguished army and navy officers have at various times offered to undertake the relief of Fort Sumter with men and provisions. The practicability of a reinforcement is by no means so seriously doubted by experts as stated. The belief was frequently expressed today in administrative circles that the landing of supplies at Fort Sumter would not be resisted. The revolutionary government is expected to perceive that the refusal to allow what must appear an act dictated by humanity–that is, to relieve a faithful band of public servants from the danger of starvation–will fasten an odium upon it in the eyes of the entire civilized world, and greatly strengthen the administration, both in the North and in the border slave States.
Since Charleston has so suddenly become the supposed seat of war, we have been honored at the seat of federal government with any quantity of bogus despatches from the former city about battles and preparations for battles; and accounts of the most tremendous array of troops. The President today has been specially favored with this kind of information.
Among the bogus despatches received from Charleston last night, was the one announcing that there were six or seven vessels off Charleston harbor.