SAVANNAH AND CHARLESTON: An Offer from the Garrison of Fort Pulaski to March Out with the Honors of War; An Unconditional Surrender Demanded by Gen. Sherman (4/3/1862)

The gunboat Seminole arrived here this afternoon from Port Royal, bringing dates to Saturday last. Fort Pulaski had been thoroughly invested for thirty days, and was momentarily expected to surrender. It was said that about 500 rebels were in Pulaski, and that they had offered to go out with the honors of war, but that Gen. SHERMAN demanded an unconditional surrender, and would, on the 1st of April, open are on the fort if they still refused to yield it.

The rebels had withdrawn all their forces from the coast of Georgia, and had abandoned the works at Thunderbolt, taking away all their guns to Savannah.

The Seminole landed a force and destroyed Thunderbolt Fort, which is within five miles of Savannah, ever a good shell road.

Refugees from Savannah say that the friends of the troops inside of Fort Pulaski had offered thirty thousand dollars to anyone who would rescue them.

A refugee from Charleston represents that there is a great panic there since the capture of Newborn. Women and children were leaving, and the general expectation was that a terrible blow would be struck there.

A dispatch from Charleston says that Gen. EVANS advanced on Saturday on North Edisto Island with 2,000 troops, but finding the Federals there at least 6,000 strong, he retired in a masterly manner. The dispatch does not say whether there was any fight or not.

From Florida, the intelligence is most gratifying. The Union sentiment was strongly developing itself.

The following intelligence is from the special correspondent at Fortress Monroe of the Baltimore American:

A dispatch in the Norfolk Day Book says that Gen. EVANS, with a force of 2,000 men, advanced on the National force on North Edisto Island, supposed to number 1,000,

Free Republic University, Department of History presents U.S. History, 1861-1865: Seminar and Discussion Forum
The American Civil War, as seen through news reports of the time and later historical accounts

First session: November 21, 2015. Last date to add: May 2025.
Reading: Self-assigned. Recommendations made and welcomed.

Posting history, in reverse order

https://www.freerepublic.com/tag/by:homerjsimpson/index?tab=articles

To add this class to or drop it from your schedule notify Admissions and Records (Attn: Homer_J_Simpson) by reply or freepmail.

Link to previous New York Times thread

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4051744/posts

The Scene of Gen. Sherman’s Operations on the Savannah River – 2
Savannah and Charleston: An Offer from the Garrison of Fort Pulaski to March Out with the Honors of War – 3
Operations Below Savannah: Official Reports from Flag-Officer Dupont and Commander Gillis – 3-4
The Rebels on the Mississippi: Troops Gathering at Pocahontas and Jacksonport, Ark. – 4
The Shenandoah Valley: Advance of Gen. Banks’ Forces to Edenburgh – 4
The Battle at Winchester: Report of Acting Brigadier-Gen. Kimball, Commanding Shields’ Division – 4-5
The New-York State Associated Press – 5
News from Fortress Monroe: The Movements of the National Army Well Known to the Rebels – 5
Opening of Navigation on the Connecticut River – 5
Important from Washington: The President’s Emancipation Policy Indorsed by the Senate – 6
Gen. Burnside’s Operations: The Advance upon Beaufort by Our Forces – 7
Operations Against New-Orleans: An Attack upon Fort Jackson by Our Gunboats – 7-8
Editorial: Congress Upon Mr. Lincoln’s Emancipation Message – 8
Editorial: The Siege of Fort Pulaski – 8-9
Russell’s Last – 9
Sea Island Cotton – 9
Quaker Guns – 10
The Anniversary of Fort Sumter – 10
Perfidy and Desperation of the Rebel Chiefs – 10
A Great Western State! – 10

IIRC Fort Pulaski had the misfortune of being the first place bombarded with fire from rifled cannon.

Accurate, higher velocity, conical tipped rounds basically pounded the facing brick wall to dust exposing the fort’s powder magazines across the courtyard to direct fire.

At that point they had no choice but to surrender or all perish when a round set off the stores and obliterated the entire fort.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.