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Beauregard Reports The Fall Of Fort Sumter

His Official Communication to Jefferson Davis

[GENERAL BEAUREGARD, who made this official report to President Jefferson Davis, had taken command of the Confederate forces at Charleston, South Carolina, on resigning from the superintendency of West Point, February 20, 1861. His was the distinction of having thus begun the Civil War. Beauregard had graduated at West Point in 1838. He distinguished himself in the Mexican War, and prior to the Civil War had been captain of engineers in fortifying Mobile and New Orleans. There is some discrepancy between Beauregard's statement, in this report, that Major Anderson had refused "to designate the time when he would evacuate Fort Sumter, and to agree meanwhile not to use his guns against us," and Anderson's, pledge to "evacuate Fort Sumter by noon on the 15th instant (April, 1861), and I will not in the meantime open my fires upon your forces, unless compelled to do so by some hostile act..."]

SIR: I have the honor submit the following summary statement of the circumstances of the surrender of Fort Sumter: On the refusal of Major Anderson to engage, in compliance with my demand, to designate the time when he would evacuate Fort Sumter, and to agree meanwhile not to use his guns against us, at 3:20 o'clock in the morning of the 12th instant I gave him formal notice that within one hour my batteries would open on him. In consequence of some circumstance of delay the bombardment was not begun precisely at the appointed moment, but at 4:30 o'clock the signal gun was fired, and within twenty minutes all our batteries were in full play. There was no response from Fort Sumter until about 7 o'clock, when the first shot from the enemy was discharged against our batteries on Cummings Point.

By 8 o'clock the action became general, and throughout the day was maintained by spirit on both sides. Our guns were served with skill and energy. The effect was visible in the impressions made on the walls of Fort Sumter. From our mortar batteries shells were thrown with such precision and rapidity that it soon became impossible for the enemy to employ his gun "en barbette," of which several were dismounted. The engagement was continued without any circumstance of special note until night fall before which time the fire from Sumter had evidently slackened. Operations on our side were sustained through' out the night, provoking, however, only a feeble response.

On the morning of the 13th the action was prosecuted with renewed vigor, and about 7:30 o'clock it was discovered our shells had set fire to the barracks in the fort. Speedily volumes of smoke indicated an extensive conflagration, and apprehending some terrible calamity to the garrison, I immediately dispatched an offer of assistance to Major Anderson which, however, with grateful acknowledgments, he declined. Meanwhile, being informed about 2 o'clock that a white flag was displayed from Sumter, I dispatched two of my aides to Major Anderson with terms of evacuation. In recognition of the gallantry exhibited by the garrison I cheerfully agreed that on surrendering the fort the commanding officer might salute his flag.

By 8 o'clock the terms of evacuation were definitely accepted. Major Anderson having expressed a desire to communicate with the United States vessels lying off the harbor, with a view to arranging for the transportation of his command to some port in the United States, one of his officers, accompanied by Captain Hartstene and three of my aides, was permitted to visit the officer in command of the squadron to make provision for that object. Because of an unavoidable delay the formal transfer of the fort to our possession did not take place until 4 o'clock in the afternoon of the 14th instant. At that hour, the place having been evacuated by the United States garrison, our troops occupied it, and the Confederate flag was hoisted on the ramparts of Sumter with a salute from the various batteries.

The steamer "Isabel" having been placed at the service of Major Anderson, he and his command were transferred to the United States vessels off the harbor...

I remain, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
G. T. BEAUREGARD,
Brigadier-General, Commanding,
Headquarters Provisional Army, C. S. A.,
Charleston, S. C.,
April 16, 1861.

Additional Sources:

www.dointhecharlestontours.com
www.oldworldauctions.com
members.aol.com/confederatesite
www.tulane.edu/~latner
ngeorgia.com/history
www.civilwarartillery.com
www.lib.niu.edu
www.multied.com
www.us-civilwar.com
www.bergen.org/civilwar
earlyamerica.com

Fort Sumter - who fired the first shot

Fort Sumter, surrounded by the waters of Charleston Harbor, with guns that frowned on the hrabour entrances, was like an irritating splinter in the eye of the Confederacy. Southern representatives went to Washington to negotiate with outgoing President Buchanan . . . slow to take action, Buchanan decided . . . to follow the advice of his commanding General, Windfield Scott and authorized supplies and reinforcements of some 250 troops to the garrison of Fort Sumter. . . they decided to use ships for the purpose and sent the merchant vessel, Star of the West, which arrived on January 5 off the bar of Cahrleston Harbor. As she made her way across the black waters, rockets and signal lights were fired off in front of her. Carolinian gunners dashed to their guns recently set up in Fort Moutrie. Untrained, they did little damage to the ship, although a richochet struck the ship's forechains. Yet, they managed to turn the ship back.

On Fort Sumter, the commander and Kentuckian, Colonel Richard Anderson forebade his men from giving cover fire to the ship. He was determined not to fire the shot that would start the Civil War. He sent a protest to the governor of South Carolina who responded that the arrival of such a ship was to be considered a hostile act.

On February 18 Jefferson Davis was inaugerated President of the Confederate States . . . and decided to send a diplomatic mission to Washington seeking removal of the annoying garrison at Fort Sumter. On March 1 he named General P. G. T. Beauregard cammander of the area. On March 4 Lincoln was sworn in and quickly decided to reinforce the fort.

On hearing this, Confederate officials placed their men on alert. On April 11 they sent word to Ft Sumter commander Anderson a demand for surrender. He declined but he let it be known that he was short of supplies and might have to abandon the fort within days. Confederate officials wanted to know when he would leave. He told them no sooner than the 15th unless he was resupplied and that he would not fire unless fired upon. The Confederates responded with - leave by the 12th or suffer a barrage.At 4:30 am on the 12th, Southern batteries opened fire on the brick walls of Fort Sumter. A few hours later, Union cannon responded.

So, in either case, the firing at the supply ship Star of the West or the Fort itself, the Confederates fired first.

The Star of the West Monument

The Star of the West Monument is dedicated to the memory of the cadets who fired on the Star of the West in 1861 and to all Citadel graduates who have died in defense of their country.
The granite monument was raised in the spring of 1961, 100 years after Citadel cadets fired on the federal supply ship from the northern point of Morris Island.
A bronze plaque depicts the action. Cadets were chosen to man the 24-pound siege guns because they were the best-trained men in Charleston to fire the weapons. Inscribed on the monument are the names of those cadets who have won the Star of the West Medal for individual drill competition. The monument is located between Bond Hall and the central flagpole.