The Project Gutenberg EBook of Reminiscences of Forts Sumter and Moultrie
in 1860-'61, by Abner Doubleday

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Title: Reminiscences of Forts Sumter and Moultrie in 1860-'61

Author: Abner Doubleday

Release Date: April 1, 2008 [EBook #24972]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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[Illustration: FORT SUMTER.]

REMINISCENCES
OF
FORTS SUMTER AND MOULTRIE
IN 1860-'61

BY ABNER DOUBLEDAY
BREVET MAJOR-GENERAL U.S.A.

[Illustration]

NEW YORK
HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS
FRANKLIN SQUARE
1876

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1875, by
HARPER & BROTHERS,
In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

INTRODUCTION.

Now that the prejudices and bitter partisan feeling of the past are
subsiding, it seems a fitting time to record the facts and incidents
connected with the first conflict of the Rebellion. Of the eleven
officers who took part in the events herein narrated, but four now
survive. Before the hastening years shall have partially obliterated
many circumstances from my memory, and while there is still an
opportunity for conference and friendly criticism, I desire to make,
from letters, memoranda, and documents in my possession, a statement
which will embody my own recollections of the turbulent days of 1860 and
1861.

I am aware that later and more absorbing events have caused the earlier
struggles of the war to recede in the distance; but those who were in
active life at that time will not soon forget the thrill of emotion and
sympathy which followed the movements of Anderson's little band, when it
became its duty to unfold the flag of the Union against a united South
in arms.

I know how difficult it is to write contemporaneous history, or even to
give a bare detail of facts, without wounding the susceptibilities of
others; but whenever I have felt called upon to giv