714 



UNITED STATES. 



five hundred horses. She was at the foot of Canal 

 street, and was taking in freight as rapidly as 

 possible. The dock was covered with barrels, 

 boxes, bales, sacks, and all conceivable packages, 

 while twenty or more carts stood in line on 

 the street ready to be unloaded. The main 

 portion of the freight to be taken comprised 

 army stores of every kind beef, pork, flour, 

 fish, &c. and there was by no means a slight 

 sprinkling of material that would feed howitzers 

 and columbiads. The utmost haste and energy 

 were manifested in getting the ship ready for sea. 



The Illinois received a very heavy freight, 

 consisting of about two thousand barrels of 

 assorted stores, five hundred cases of muskets, 

 a large quantity of ammunition, one hundred 

 cords of oak wood, two parks of artillery, with 

 their appurtenances, a number of gun-carriages, 

 &c. 



> The Powhatan was the only steam-frigate in 

 the United States navy that was ever changed 

 from the "lying up" to the "commission" 

 state within three days ; and such rapidity of 

 execution could scarcely be accomplished in 

 any other yard in the country than the one at 

 Brooklyn. At four hells, two o'clock, on Fri- 

 day, the ship went into commission. She had 

 on board an extraordinary armament and im- 

 mense quantities of shell. She carried 10 

 nine-inch and 1 eleven-inch shell guns; but a 

 large portion of her ordnance consisted of ten- 

 itich shell; consequently, these were thought 

 to be intended for the reenforcement of some 

 forts, or possibly for land service. 



On Monday morning the revenue flag on the 

 Harriet Lane was hauled down, and the Stars 

 and Stripes run up at her peak. At nine 

 o'clock Oapt. Faunce visited the custom-house 

 and bade adieu to some of his friends, to whom 

 he stated that he had received sealed orders 

 to sail immediately. The cutter was heavily 

 armed, and the crew increased to eighty men. 

 She went to sea before noon. 



At Governor's Island station the utmost ac- 

 tivity prevailed all day on Friday. Men were 

 engaged in loading lighters with provisions, 

 clothing, and large quantities of shell. On the 

 dock, besides a large quantity of mortar-shells, 

 were piles of the smaller but more destructive 

 balls with which columbiads are loaded. Two 

 of these guns, weighing 15,000 pounds each, 

 were on an adjacent wharf, at which lay 

 the schooner John N. Genin, which was to be 

 laden with munitions of war. Within a month 

 past two other schooners had been thus laden 

 at the same pier, and departed for parts un- 

 known. In the vicinity of the wharves were 

 37,000 shells and a large number of gun-car- 

 riages, each of which was directed to Capt. 

 Vogdes, at Fort Pickens, Florida. 



A large number of heavy transporting boats 

 from the navy yard were alongside the wharf. 

 Troops were packing up at Forts Columbus and 

 Hamilton. 



The correct dates of the sailing of these ves- 

 sels were as follows: Two expeditions sailed 



from New York in the early part of April. 

 The chartered steamers Atlantic and Illinois, 

 which were publicly announced to have taken 

 out clearances for the Gulf and to be under 

 convoy of the steam-frigate Powhatan, sailed 

 from New York, respectively, on the 7th and 

 8th of April, the Powhatan having left that 

 harbor in the afternoon of the 6th. These 

 vessels were destined for the reenforcement of 

 Fort Pickens, which was successfully and peace- 

 fully accomplished. The expedition which pro- 

 ceeded to Charleston consisted of the chartered 

 steamer Baltic, well laden with provisions, and 

 the steam-cutter Harriet Lane, both from New 

 York. The latter left the harbor about 10 

 o'clock in the forenoon of the 8th of April, and 

 the Baltic early in the morning of the 9th. 

 The frigates Pawnee and Pocahontas, which 

 also went to Charleston, left Norfolk, respec- 

 tively, in the evening of the 9th and the morn- 

 ing of the 10th of April. 



At Charleston, on the other hand, it was re- 

 ported that during the whole of Thursday after- 

 noon, the 4th, all kinds of rumors were rife on 

 the streets. A vague impression had somehow 

 got abroad that the long agony of suspense and 

 inaction was to be speedily and abruptly ended ; 

 but how, or when, or by whose orders, nobody 

 could tell. Diligent inquiry was made, and 

 in the absence of official information, which 

 in such a juncture is seldom made public the 

 following facts were deemed to be reasonably 

 certain: 1. That the supplies of provisions and 

 the mails, hitherto furnished regularly to the 

 garrison of Fort Sumter, were to be cut off that 

 day, and that no further communication would 

 be allowed between Major Anderson and the 

 Government at "Washington. 2. That the troops 

 at all the State fortifications were finally 

 disposed, equipped, and provided for, so as to 

 be ready for action at a moment's warning. 3. 

 That no attack of any kind would be made upon 

 Fort Sumter until further orders, unless such an 

 attack should be provoked by Major Anderson, 

 or by an attempt on the part of his Government 

 to bring aid to the beleaguered fortress. 4. 

 That these measures are taken at the instance 

 of the Government of the Confederate States, 

 which had lost all confidence in the professions 

 of Mr. Lincoln's Administration. 



All eyes were turned towards Fort Sumter 

 with intense interest. It was well known that 

 the unseen future was wrapped up in her fate. 

 If she was peaceably supplied with stores for 

 the starving garrison, or if peaceably evacuated, 

 then the prospect for peace would become 

 hopeful ; if, on the other hand, an assault should 

 be made, war, with all its horrors, fraternal 

 war, was upon the country. 



On Friday morning, the 12th, about four 

 o'clock, fire was opened from all points upon 

 Fort Sumter, and continued for thirty-three 

 hours, when her commander surrendered. (See 

 SUMTER and CONFEDERATE STATES.) 



Meanwhile commissioners had been sent by 

 the Virginia State Convention to the President 



