January 31, 1861, The New York Herald
WASHINGTON, Jan. 30, 1861.
Private advices from the South, received tonight, indicate that there will be a fight in less than thirty hours.
The President declared to a member of Congress yesterday that he had no doubt that Fort Sumter would be attacked in less than a week, when a fight would ensure and the war would commence. The congressman inquired why he did not reinforce Major Anderson? The president replied, that there were not vessels enough in the American navy to reach Fort Sumter. In the first place, they would have to enter in the day time, and move slowly in order to clear the old vessels, that have been sunk in the channel as barriers against any attempt of government vessels to enter the arbor. This fact, it is asserted, would cause their sure destruction by the outer lighthouse batteries on Morris Island, and before encountering the fire of the Morris light beacon batteries, and Point Cummin’s batteries, and the guns of fort Johnson on James Island, and Fort Moultrie on Sullivan’s Island, all of which they would have to suffer before reaching Fort Sumter. Besides, Major Anderson could afford no protection to a vessel against the outer batteries of Morris Island.
This is the opinion of the authorities having the power to send relief; but in justice to those who would have to execute the work and risk their lives before the fire of the secessionists, I am assured that the harbor of Charleston can be entered by light draft vessels of war, and Major Anderson can be reinforced. There are men in the American navy who believe that the business of firing cannon is a game that two can play at, and that as good a shot can be made from the deck of an American ship of war, as from Morris Island.
Letters are received from Fort Sumter as late as the 26th inst., stating that all the officers and men are well. While they would like some fresh meat for a change, they are a unit in feeling against succumbing to the terms of the authorities of Charleston to supply them either by courtesy or to let them have daily rations, which they can cut off at any moment. When the authorities will allow Major Anderson to contract for a quantity of supplies according to the usual practices, untrammelled by threats or any improper influence, he will do so, and not before. Unless he can do this the men prefer to confine themselves to the fare they now have, and of which they have ample supply.
Floating batteries, the superstructures of which are composed of cotton bales, are in course of erection, by which means in part the South Carolinians expect to attack Fort Sumter. The officer who writes from Fort Sumter, alluding to these batteries, says: – ‘The difference between fighting behind cotton bags in 1812 and now is, that General Jackson commanded behind the bags then and had no Robert Anderson within the impregnable walls of a Sumter, with the destructive weapons which the ingenuity of man for half a century has invented, to contend with. Besides, Jackson is dead.’
The same writer in another connection says: –
“We have been wonderfully favored by Providence in all our movements. We abandoned Moutrie under cover of night, by aid of a vessel chartered to take the soldiers wives, twenty five in number, to a safer place. When the captain discovered the intention of Major Anderson he became rebellious, but was soon sent below and locked up until we were safely landed at Sumter. Our night’s work was crowned by a glorious sunrise. The men were all summoned around the flag staff, and the stars and stripes were run up, and the Chaplain invoked God’s blessing to rest upon our little band, and to aid us in the work of our country’s defence, and in defending the national honor and flag. I shall never forget the scene. If we had been assailed on that day by any considerable force it is doubtful if we could have held out, as the fort was in a miserable condition for defence. But the Almighty heard our prayers. A storm came up and lasted for ten days. It was so terrific that the sea, tired of knocking at our flinty walls, would dash far above and over us. During these ten days no vessel could approach us. We put our house in order, so that at the end of the storm we could have defied any power on earth.”
Col. Easkell, aid de camp to Gov. Pickens, arrived here this afternoon, with despatches to Col. Hayne. It is understood he brings the ultimatum of South Carolina respecting the public property within that State, and also in regard to Fort Sumter. Col. Haskell had a protracted interview with Col. Hayne immediately after his arrival. Until Col. H. makes his communication to the President, which will probably be tomorrow or the day after, nothing definite will be now respecting affairs at Charleston.