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'TODAY" TOE FORTY-SEVENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE HRST ATOE OF TOE QV TOiR
WITH ILIUSTRATXQNS
n?0tf UWEltf WEEKLY Ml
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PunTY-SKVrN years aso today
1 xm5 ftrod ty:e f"5t pcun. tl.e rrel-.ide
to th preat war drama, the cur
trt n -f l:K-tl fH f-i:r years afu-r-ward
en the Utad bodies uvcr a
and a
million of the actors
billions cf dollars.
The echo of the laat stroke of 4 from
the historic chimes of St. Michael's
hud scarcely died away, when a group i
loss of , of soldiers gathered around a mortar
In Fort Johnson. Charleston harbor,
and waited, watch in hand, for the
moment when the signal should sound
the tocsin of civil war and the deata
knell of SO years of peace. Half an
hour later, the thunder of a run and
an 11-lncti shell traced Its, pathway
toward Sumter with a long, thin line
of firs. Another auickly succeeded.
and th chorus of battle began. The
first of these shells was fired by Cap
tain fjeorgo S. James, the second by
Lieutenant Hampton Glbbes.
No pen. togue, or canvas can ac
curately portray the scene of that
April morning In the City of Charles
Ion, when Its Inhabitants were startled
from their slumbers by the first guns.
Lights flashed, as If by magli;. fiom the
wlndowrt of every house, anil In the
twinkling of an eye an agitated mass
of people were rushing toward the
water fronts of the city. 3rave cltl
sens, usually distinguished by their
dignity, hurried along the streets,
dressing while they ran madly shout
ing hurrahs. There were men with
out coats, women without bats, and
children In their nightgowns. all
hastening to the same points of view.
The fashionable promenade known
as '.'The Battery" presented a con
glomeration of persons In dishabille,
who. at any other time would not have
thought of violating the social con
ventionalities of attire. And there,
with pale faces and eyes sharpened
by the strange fascination of the
scene, the multitude remained hour
after hour, peeping into the darkness
and watching the progress of the fight
by the flashing of the guns.
In a few minutes all the batteries
that environed Fort Sumter, bad opened,
fire, or to use the words of General
Ripley, the commanding officer on one
of the Islands, "rung their breakfast
bell for Major Anderson." but It was
two hours before the latter responded
to the call.
Hardly, however, had objects of the
low coast become well defined among
the shadows of the morning, when, as
if wrathful from enforced delay, there
suddenly poured from the parapet and
casement of Fort Sumter n storm of
Iron hall. The murmur instantly ran
through the city. "Fort Sumter has
opened Are." The battle now raged
with fury, and the fiery messengers
from both sides followed each other
with spiteful haste.
Short, sharp spurts of flame told
of bursting shells In and around the
beleaguered fortress over which float
ed the only flag of the Stars and
Stripes to be found on the soil of
South Carolina, while splashes of
spray or clouds of crumbled brick
marked the ugly force of round shot
striking Its face.
ispatches were received hourly by
Beauregard, the Commander-in-Chief,
and communicated to the people by
bulletins. At first the proud Caro
linians were Inclined to reoel at the
authority of a strange Commander,
but there was something In Oie well
defined physiognomy, the dark eye, firm
Mp ami massive chin of the great
Creole that told of hidden power and
Inspired confidence, and It was not
long before the hero of Contreras and
Churobosco was enthroned In the
hearts of the people.
A curious blending of humanity was
to he observed among those who
manned the Confederate fortifications.
In their shirt sleeves, with heads bare
and features smoke-begrimed, work
ing heavy guns, were the gentlemen
whom you met only a few days before
at the Charleston Club, elegant types
of wealth and leisure. Here was a
clergyman, and some of his deacons,
there a bank president and some of
his clerks, and yonder a group of
planters who could give you more
points on the. age and quality of fine
wines than on military tactics. Many
of these gentlemen never had heard a
shotted gun before thst day, and yet,
with a mixture of chivalry and reck
lessness, would spring' to the crest of
the earthworks after each fire to watch
the effect of their aim and then cheer
for Major Anderson as his answering
missiles came shrieking back. The ag
gregated wealth of the companies
might have been counted by millions,
and the old historic names of the state
answered to the roll call "here."
Colonel Thomas Sumter, grandnon
of "the gamecock of the Revolution,"
after whom the fort was named In
1833. was a private In the Palmetto
Guards. The venerable Edmund Ruffln,
of Virginia, 74 years of aire, was a
private, and was allowed to fire the
first shot s gainst Fort Sumter from
what is known as the iron battery.
Fires were kept blazing In Charles
ton harbor during the night for the
purpose of detecting the launches of
the distant fleet, if an attempt should
be made to relieve the garrison.
The second day was ushered in elfar
and bright, and the air was laden with
the perfume of early Spring flowers.
The flags of both of the combatants
were flying with stately deflnance.
and. as the first sunbeams touched
their folds, the thundering Intonations
of the heavy artillery told the listen
ing multitude of the renewed strife.
The garrison of Fort Sumter were
on their last rations. Their breakfast
that morning consisted of pork and
rice, the last of the rice being served
at that meal.
From Fort Moultrie General Ripley
was throwing hot shot, and about 6
o'clock a tall, steadily ascending col
umn of smoke was observable on the
southern portion of Sumter. First, It
was thlri and pale, but every moment
It grew daraer. until, shooting out
from the base of the black pillar great
yellow tongues of flames coi:ld be seen
lapping the tops of the barracks and
otTlcers' quarters. The first Impression
was that Major Anderson was signal
ing the fleet, consisting of eight war
vessels and 1380 men, which had been
sent to the rescue, but had remained
Idly at anchor and made no sign of
help.
At 10 o'clock the fire reached a
magazine of shells and grenades and
a terrific explosion ensued that caused
many a heart to stand still, for tho
men In that beleaguered and burning
fort had many friends in Charleston
who were watching it with the keen
est Interest. When the explosion oc
curred a young girl who was present
with a party of her schoolmates was.
seen to throw her arms wildly In the
air and exclaim, "Oh, God, my
brother." She was the sister of Lieu
tenant Jeff c. I'avls. one of Major
Anderson's officers, who afterward be
came a Union general.
Iiurlng all tflis trying period, while
the fort was in flames and the air
like a blast from the crater. Major
Anderson continued to send occasional
shots to the different batteries around
him, as if determined to show to the
world that he "died game." At every
flash from the muzzles of his guns the
Confederates would send up cheer on
cheer for the gallant defender of the
fort.
Three times the flag was lowered as
a signal of distress to the federal
fleet In the offing, but no response fol
lowed, and It was left to Beauregard
to tender the merciful assistance for
which a csll had been made. Captain
Stephen L. Lee. Colonel W. Por t
Miles and Roger A. Pryor were dis
patched upon this errand.
At 1 o'clock a shot from Sullivan's
Island severed the flagstaff and
brought down the Stars and Strlpts.
They were replaced, however, lr. about
fifteen minutes by Private Hart, of
New York, under circumstances of
great daring.
At the reappearance of the flag the
boat with the aides of Beauregard,
who had been sent to ofTer assistance,
turned, back, but meanwhile ex-Senator
Wlgfall, of Texas, a voluntary aide
of Beauregard, accompanied by Private
Courdln of the Palmetto Guurd. pushed
off from Morris Island In a small boatr
(Concluded on Face 11 J