Brig. Gen. Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard.
Courtesy National Archives.
The Confederates
Demand Fort Sumter's Evacuation
After cabinet debate in Montgomery, the Confederate
Secretary of War ordered General Beauregard to demand the evacuation of
the fort, and if that demand were refused, to "reduce it." On the
afternoon of April 11, three of Beauregard's aides visited the fort
under a flag of truce and presented the ultimatum. Major Anderson
refused compliance, but at the same time he said, "Gentlemen, if you do
not batter the fort to pieces about us, we shall be starved out in a few
days." Still reluctant to initiate conflict, the Montgomery government
telegraphed:
"Do not desire needlessly to bombard Fort Sumter. If
Major Anderson will state the time at which . . . he will evacuate, and
agree that in the meantime he will not use his guns against us unless
ours should be employed against Fort Sumter, you are authorized thus to
avoid the effusion of blood. If this or its equivalent be refused,
reduce the fort...."
The atmosphere in Charleston was tense. In at least
one household, dinner was the "merriest, maddest ... yet. Men were more
audaciously wise and witty. We had an unspoken foreboding it was to be
our last pleasant meeting."
Shortly after midnight, four Confederate officers
confronted Major Anderson again. About 3 hours later, in a carefully
worded reply, the Union commander agreed to evacuate "by noon on the
15th" unless he should receive prior to that time "controlling
instructions from my Government or additional supplies." But it was
expected in Charleston that the Federal supply ships would arrive before
the 15th. Major Anderson's reply was rejected by the Confederate
officers, who proceeded at once to Fort Johnson to give the order to
open fire.
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