ital
of the new confederacy:--

Batteries ready to open Wednesday or Thursday. What instructions?

On the same day orders were issued to stop all courtesies to the
garrison, to prohibit all supplies from the city, and to allow no one to
depart from the fort. On the 7th Anderson received a confidential
letter, under date of April 4th, from President Lincoln, notifying him
that a relief expedition would be sent, and requesting him to hold out,
if possible, until its arrival.

On the morning of the 8th the following communication from the President
was, by special messenger, placed in the hands of Governor Pickens:--

I am directed by the President of the United States to notify you to
expect an attempt will be made to supply Fort Sumter with provisions
only, and that if such attempt be not resisted, no effort to throw in
provisions, arms, or ammunition will be made without further notice,
or in case of an attack upon the fort.

This message was at once communicated to Jefferson Davis, at Montgomery,
who entertained the opinion that the war should be begun without further
delay. On the 10th Beauregard was instructed to demand the evacuation of
Fort Sumter, and to reduce it in case of refusal.

On the following day, at two o'clock in the afternoon, General
Beauregard sent two of his aids to make the demand; but it was refused.
Still another message was sent, with the same result. On the morning of
the 12th, at twenty minutes past three o'clock, General Beauregard sent
notice to Anderson that he would open fire upon Sumter in one hour from
that time.

At half-past four appeared "the first flash from the mortar battery near
old Fort Jackson, on the south side of the harbor, and an instant after
a bombshell rose in a slow, high curve through the air, and fell upon
the fort."

It was the first gun in the Rebellion. Gun after gun responded to the
signal, and through thirty-six hours, without the loss of a single life
in the besieged garrison. At noon, on Sunday, the 14th of April, Major
Anderson hauled down the flag of the United States, and evacuated Fort
Sumter. Before sunset the flag of the Confederate States floated over
the ramparts.

The following telegrams were transmitted:--

STEAMSHIP "BALTIC," OFF SANDY HOOK,

April 18 (1861), 10.30 A.M., _via_ New York.

Having defended Fort Sumter for thirty-four hours, until the quarters
were entirely burned, the main gates destroyed by f