s on the parapet
with my spy-glass; for I fancied, from a signal I had observed the
previous evening on a pilot-boat, that something must be coming. As I
looked seaward, I saw a large steamer pass the bar and enter the Morris
Island channel. It had the ordinary United States flag up; and as it
evidently did not belong to the navy, I came to the conclusion it must
be the _Star of the West_. I do not remember that any other officers
were on the lookout at this time. Anderson himself was still in bed.
When the vessel came opposite the new battery, which had just been built
by the cadets, I saw a shot fired to bring her to. Soon after this an
immense United States garrison-flag was run up at the fore. Without
waiting to ascertain the result of the firing, I dashed down the back
stairs to Anderson's room, to notify him of the occurrence. He told me
to have the long roll beaten, and to post the men at the guns on the
parapet. I ran out, called the drummers, and had the alarm sounded. It
took but a few minutes for men and officers to form at the guns in
readiness for action. The battery was still firing, but the transport
had passed by, and was rapidly getting out of range. At the same time it
was approaching within gun-shot of Fort Moultrie. The latter immediately
opened fire from one or two guns. Anderson would not allow us to return
this fire; and the captain of the vessel, wholly discouraged by our
failure to respond, turned about, and made his way back to New York. Two
shots had struck the steamer, but no essential injury was done. I think
the people in Fort Moultrie, who expected to be driven out to take
refuge behind the sand-hills, were especially astonished at our
inaction. It is very true that the Morris Island battery was beyond the
reach of our guns. Still, we did not know this positively at the time;
and our firing in that direction, even if ineffectual, would have
encouraged the steamer to keep on its course. We had one or two guns
bearing on Fort Moultrie; and as that was within easy range, we could
have kept down the fire there long enough to enable the steamer to come
in. It was plainly our duty to do all that we could. For any thing we
knew to the contrary, she might have been in a sinking condition. Had
she gone down before our eyes, without an effort on our part to aid her,
Anderson would have incurred a fearful responsibility by his inaction.

Mr. Dawson, in his account of these incidents in the _Historical