the Peace Congress at Washington, and by a convention to
represent the Southern States at Montgomery, Alabama.

On the 6th, the new Secretary of War, Judge Holt, wrote to South
Carolina that the President did not intend to inaugurate any aggressive
measures; and if the State government attacked Fort Sumter, they would
incur a fearful responsibility.

On the 8th, some photographic artists were allowed to come over and take
our portraits in a group. I think it proved a profitable speculation,
for the sale was quite large. One of the party proved afterward to be a
lieutenant of a Charleston company. It seems he came as a spy, and, no
doubt, thought he had done a very clever thing; but inasmuch as Mr.
Gourdin and other Secessionists, including several military and naval
officers, were permitted to roam through the fort at will, there was
very little use in taking precautions against spies. Indeed, on one
occasion, another Major Anderson, a namesake of our commander, came down
to Charleston with a freight-train loaded with shot, shell, heavy guns,
and mortars for South Carolina, to be used in the batteries against us.
He was the owner of the celebrated Tredegar Iron Works, of Richmond,
Virginia, already referred to, and had been enriched by the patronage of
the United States. I thought it decidedly cool in him, under the
circumstances, to come over to call on our Major Anderson. He made no
attempt at concealment, but stated without reserve the object of his
trip to the South. To my surprise, instead of being summarily expelled,
he met with a most cordial reception, was invited to stay to dinner, and
when he left he was dismissed with a "Good-bye! God bless you! You
haven't such a thing as a late newspaper about you, have you?"

On the 9th of February, the enemy's batteries were completed, manned and
ready for action. On the same day the Confederate Government was duly
organized by the election of Jefferson Davis, of Mississippi, as
President, and Alexander H. Stephens, of Georgia, as Vice-president. The
Cabinet consisted of Robert Toombs, of Georgia, Secretary of State; L.
Pope Walker, of Alabama, Secretary of War; and Charles G. Memminger, of
South Carolina, Secretary of the Treasury. Afterward, Judah P. Benjamin,
of Louisiana, was appointed Attorney-general; Stephen M. Mallory, of
Florida, Secretary of the Navy; and John H. Reagan, of Texas,
Postmaster-general. Peter Gustave T. Beauregard, of Louisiana, was made
Brigadi