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military commander, reminded him of duties of obedience, and at the same time impatiently declared that "the ground had been thoroughly examined, a perfect reconnoisance had been made, and that a mistake was impossible." Notwithstanding this, he was impressed by the judgment of Beauregard, and took another survey of the ground, when he found reason to concur with the view of his young lieutenant.

For his gallant conduct at Contreras and Cherubusco, Beauregard was brevetted captain, to date from 20th of August, 1847, and again for his services at Chapultepec, he was promoted to the brevet rank of major, to date from the 13th of September of the same year.

At the assault of the Belen gate of the city of Mexico, Beauregard was wounded, and throughout the whole campaign he was not only among the most brave, but ranked among the ablest and most useful of the officers. General Scott, in his dispatch from the capital of Mexico, into which he had just entered as conqueror, spoke of Beauregard as one of "our distinguished engineers," by the aid of whose efficient and daring reconnoisances, he was enabled to follow up the victory of El Molino del Rey with the triumphal capture of the city of Mexico. Again, in his official report, Scott alluded to Beauregard as one of the five lieutenants of engineers "who were the admiration of all" during the storming of the fortress of Chapultepec, the struggle at the gates, and the entrance into the capital.

Another illustration of the correct

ness of his judgment is given in the following incident, said to have occurred before the city of Mexico:

A night or two before the attack, a council of war was held. There were assembled all the officers, from the Lieutenant-General, including Major-General Worth and others, down to Beauregard, the youngest in the room. The council sat many hours. All the officers, but one, had spoken, and unanimously maintained a plan of operations at variance with that of Scott. The officer who had not tendered his opinion was Beauregard. At last General Pierce crossed over and said: "You have not expressed an opinion." "I have not been called on, said Beauregard. Pierce, soon resuming his seat, announced that Lieutenant Beauregard had not given his views. Being then called upon, he remarked, that if the plan which had received the consent of all but the commanding general was carried into effect, it would prove disastrous. It would be another Cherubusco affair. He then detailed the objections to it at length; and taking up the other, urged the reasons in its favor with equal earnestness. The council reversed their decision. The city of Mexico was entered according to the plan urged by the young lieutenant, and it would seem that his reasons influenced the decision. A few days afterward, General Scott, in the presenee of a number of general officers, alluded to Lieutenant Beauregard's opinion at the council, and the consequences which had followed from it.

On his return to Louisiana, the young

FIRE OPENED ON SUMTER.

hero was presented with a costly sword. The Government of the United States appointed him the chief engineer to superintend the construction of the Mint and Custom house at New Orleans, and of the fortifications at the mouth of the Mississippi.

Beauregard is now (1862) about fortythree years of age, and with his healthful manhood, his vigorous and concentrated frame, his promptitude of movement and power of endurance, has all the bodily qualifications for a hardy campaigner. His abilities and thorough culture as an engineer are unquestioned, and his admirers claim for him great capacity as a strategist and leader of armies.

Born in Louisiana, and bound to it by the strong ties of family and property, he has not unnaturally joined his destiny to the fate of his native State. He is, moreover, supposed to have been early involved in the Southern conspiracy, through the influence of his brotherin-law, John Slidell, the former senator of the United States from Louisiana, and one of the main instigators of the present rebellion.

"By authority of Brigadier-General Beauregard, commanding the provisional April forces of the Confederate States, 12. we have the honor to notify you that he will open the fire of his batteries on Fort Sumter in one hour from this time." This was the communication addressed by the aids-de-camp of Beauregard to Major Anderson at twenty minutes past three o'clock on the morning of Friday, the 12th of April. At twenty minutes past four o'clock, accordingly,

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the batteries surrounding Fort Sumter opened fire. Major Anderson waited until full daylight, as he did not care to waste any of his ammunition before replying. He, however, immediately ordered the sentinels away from the parapets, the posterns closed, the flag drawn up, and forbid his men to leave the bomb-proofs until summoned by the drum.

The extent of the enemy's fire greatly surprised the garrison, which, however, was now explained by the revelation, for the first time, of a battery of which there had been hitherto no suspicion. This was a battery on Sullivan's Island, masked by a cover of brush-wood and other materials. Skilfully constructed, heavily mounted, and artfully protected, its fire was very effective. It showed seventeen mortars, throwing ten-inch shells, and thirty-three heavy cannons, most of which were columbiads. The shots from these powerful guns struck against the walls of Fort Sumter with a "terrific crash," as the defenders declared, and several of the shells burst inside the fort.

Major Anderson, however, did not respond, and as late as half-past six o'clock had not fired a shot, the men at that hour being at breakfast, which they ate "leisurely and calmly." Immediately after, however, everything was got ready for work. The garrison was so few in number and so worn out by the harassing labors of a long siege, that it was found necessary to husband its strength. The whole was accordingly divided into three reliefs or parties, which were to

work the batteries in turns each during cipally at the guns en barbette, soon made

four hours.

The first relief was under the command of Captain Doubleday, of the Artillery, and Lieutenant Snyder, of the Engineer Corps. Upon this party accordingly devolved the duty of opening the fire, and at seven o'clock in the morning the first gun was fired by Doubleday. The fire was directed against the batteries at Cumming's Point, sixteen hundred yards distant; the iron floating battery, anchored about two thousand yards away, and Fort Moultrie and the additional batteries on Sullivan's Island. The cannonade was kept up with great spirit for four hours; and such was the enthusiasm of the garrison, that it was impossible to prevent the reliefs off duty from taking part in the work. The fire told apparently with good effect upon the walls of Fort Moultrie, the embrasures of which were considerably damaged. The battery on Cumming's Point, however, seemed invulnerable, shot and shell glancing harmlessly off from its mail of iron.

The enemy's fire was constant and effective. Their shells burst in rapid succession against all parts of the fort, scattering the loosened brick and stone in every direction, breaking the windows and setting fire to whatever wood-work they touched. The gorge in the rear of the fort was already so pierced with balls that it looked like a sieve.

The enemy poured their heaviest fire on the parapet of the fort, and it became impossible to go there without the certainty of death. Their shot, aimed prin

great havoc among them, disabling one ten-inch columbiad, one eight-inch columbiad, one forty-two pounder, and two eight-inch howitzers. At the same time, a large portion of the parapet, upon which these guns were placed, was carried away, and Major Anderson was obliged to forbid his men to expose themselves there any longer in manning the barbette, or uncovered, cannons. The garrison was thus limited to the use of the two lower tiers of guns, which were protected by casemates.

An English rifle cannon, which had been presented to Charleston by an enthusiastic friend of secession at Liverpool, was fired with great accuracy. Its balls frequently entered the embrasures of Fort Sumter, and on one occasion slightly wounded four men. More mischief would have been done, had not a man been kept constantly on the lookout to cry, whenever the enemy fired, "shot" or "shell," as it happened to be, so that our men could seek safety under cover. Our soldiers never faltered at their work, and even the laborers, though at the beginning reluctant to handle the guns, finally took hold and vied with the others in the dangerous service.

"We had to abandon one gun,' wrote one of the officers, "on account of the close fire made upon it. Hearing the fire renewed, I went to the spot. I there found a party of workmen engaged in serving it. I saw one of them stooping over, with his hands on his knees, convulsed with joy, while the tears rolled down his powder-begrimed cheeks.

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FIRST DAY OF THE SIEGE.

What are you doing here with that gun?' I asked. 'Hit it right in the centre,' was the reply; the man meaning that his shot had taken effect in the centre of the floating battery."

The shot of the enemy was particularly destructive to the barracks where the officers had their quarters. Most of the brick work was demolished, and the interior, of wood, was in flames several times. As the day advanced, the fire was continued with more vigor by the enemy than ever, while Major Anderson soon found his ability to respond greatly diminished. His cartridges became exhausted about noon, and he was forced to set his men to work in the magazine, making them of blankets and shirts.

The frequent conflagration of the officers' barracks was now a source of increased annoyance and danger. Three times they had caught, and three times been put out. While extinguishing the flames, the men were obliged to go out upon the parapet, where, though directly exposed to the thickest of the shower of balls, they could not resist the temptation of discharging clandestinely the cannon which had been loaded and pointed on the day before, ready to fire. The soldiers throughout exhibited great daring. On Friday, when some of our vessels outside having saluted the fort, Major Anderson ordered his flag to be lowered and raised in response, Sergeant Hart, catching a glance at it just as it was descending, and thinking it had been cut away by a shot, rushed out into the open parade in the thickest of

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As it rose,

the fire, in order to raise it. a ball really did come which divided the halyards, but the rope caught by the wind twisted around the staff and held the flag in its place.

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A veteran sergeant, of the name of Kearnan, who had served in the Mexican campaigns, was struck on the head by a portion of masonry shivered by a shot, and felled to the ground. On rising, he was asked if he were badly hurt. No," said he, "I was only knocked down temporarily." The men were now obliged to keep so close to their work, that their meals were served to them while at their guns. The fire of the enemy became more brisk and accurate as the day was closing. Their iron battery at Cumming's Point, with its rifled cannon, was making great havoc, striking the embrasures at every shot. During Friday night some of our men strove to climb the flagstaff and rig new halyards in place of those which had been cut away, but could not succeed. The flag, however, still was flying. At night, Major Anderson ordered the port-holes to be closed, and ceased active operations, but the enemy continued their fire. A shot or shell struck against the walls, within which the little garrison was cooped up, about every fifteen minutes during the whole night. Major Anderson stationed until next morning a non-commissioned officer and four men at each salient embrasure, to be in readiness for any boats that might come, whether from friend or foe, as relief from the fleet outside or an assault from the enemy was not improbable.

On Saturday morning the officers' quarters again caught fire from the burstApril ing of a ten-inch shell discharged 13. by the enemy. It was now found impossible even to make the attempt to put out the conflagration, as red-hot shot were pouring constantly into the fort, and from the general ruin the exposure was so great. The main gates were already destroyed, so that five hundred men could have readily formed in the gorge and marched in without opposition. The walls, too, were so weakened, it was feared that each shot might pierce or prostrate them. The fire of the barracks spread rapidly, and was soon sweeping up all the wood-work of the fortress.

Great fears were now entertained for the safety of the magazine. Every man who could be spared was put to work in removing the powder. Ninety-six barrels were rolled out through the flames, at the imminent hazard of life, and most of them flung into the sea. Two hundred were left behind, as it was found impossible to make any further effort, in consequence of the excessive heat, to remove them. The doors of the magazine were now closed and locked, but there was a constant dread of an explosion as the flames gathered about the whole structure.

The direction of the wind was such that it blew the smoke into the fort, and so filled it that the men could no longer see each other, and the air became so hot and stifling that it was almost impossible to breathe. They were finally forced to cover their faces with wet

cloths, and often thus to lie prostrate on the ground. Some, however, managed to grope their way to the cannon. A gun was occasionally fired, to give the fleet and the enemy notice that the garrison still held out, but the cannoneers could not see to aim, and the cartridges had became so scarce that there was hardly a cannon wad left. As the sparks flew thick in every direction, it was impossible to attempt to make fresh cartridges. The men at the same time had become prostrate, as much in consequence of their constant working at the guns as for want of proper food. They had eaten their last biscuit thirtysix hours previous.

In the mean time the enemy increased their fire, which, added to the conflagration, the heat and the smoke, the crash and the ruin, produced a scene of indescribable awe and confusion. "The crashing of the shot, the bursting of the shells, the falling of walls, and the roar of the flames made," reported an eyewitness, "a pandemonium of the fort."

Now, to add to the horror of the scene, the shells and ammunition in the upper service-magazines exploded, scattering the tower and upper portions of the structure in every direction. "The crash of the beams, the roar of the flames, the rapid explosion of the shells, and the shower of fragments of the fort, with the blackness of the smoke, made the scene," wrote one who was present, "indescribably terrific and grand.'

The conflagration continued to spread, and having reached the men's quarters, soon enveloped them in flames. The

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