THE FALL OF FORT SUMTER

I

HEROES AND MARTYRS

N the history of the Southern conspiracy,

General Robert Anderson must hold a dis

tinguished place, being the first federal officer against whom the fatal thought of rebellion took voice in the throat of a cannon; and though his shattered health has constrained him to play no further part in the tragedy which he opened with such brilliancy, his loyalty to "Old Glory," his wise courage and Christian firmness, in that hour of peril, will ever keep his name honored and revered among the American people.

General Anderson came from a patriotic and military family. His father, Captain Richard C. Anderson, was the man whose little band surprised an outpost of the Hessians at Trenton, on the night prior to the decisive battle of that place an attack which the Hessian commander, Colonel Rahl, then on the lookout for Washington, construed to be the whole assault against which he had been warned. General Washington met Anderson retreating with his Company, and was very indignant at what they had done, fearing it would prepare the enemy for their advance in force. The result, however, proved the contrary, and Anderson was then complimented on the exploit. Captain Anderson served with Washington throughout the New Jersey campaign.

The subject of this sketch is a native of the State of Kentucky. The blood of a brave soldier ran in his veins, and displayed itself in his early desire to adopt

the profession of arms. Passing over young Anderson's preliminary studies and scholastic successes, we find him, in 1832, acting Inspector General of Illinois Volunteers in the Black Hawk War. He filled this situation with credit to himself, from May until the ensuing October. In the following June, 1833, he was made First Lieutenant. From 1835 to 1837 he occupied the responsible post of Assistant Instructor and Inspector at the United States Military Academy. He was assigned to the staff of General Winfield Scott as Aide-de-camp in 1838; and in 1839 published his "Instructions for Field Artillery, Horse and Foot, arranged for the Service of the United States"-a hand-book of great practical value.

Lieutenant Anderson's service during the Indian troubles were acknowledged by a brevet captaincy, April 2, 1838. In July of the same year, he was made Assistant Adjutant General with the rank of Captain, which he subsequently relinquished on being promoted to a captaincy in his own regiment, the Third Artillery.

In March, 1847, he was with his Regiment in the Army of General Scott, and took part in the siege of Vera Cruz; being one of the officers to whom was intrusted, by Colonel Bankhead, the command of the batteries. This duty he accomplished with signal skill and gallantry. He remained with the Army until its triumphant entry into the Mexican Capital the following September.

FORT SUMTER MEMORIAL

During the operations in the valley of Mexico, Captain Anderson was attached to the brigade of General Garland which formed a portion of General Worth's Division. In the attack on El Molino del Rey, September 8, Anderson was severely wounded. His admirable conduct under the circumstances was the theme of praise on the part of his men and superior officers. Captain Burke, his immediate commander, in his dispatch of September 9, says: "Captain Robert Anderson (acting field officer) behaved with great heroism on this occasion. Even after receiving a severe and painful wound, he continued at the head of the column, regardless of pain and self-preservation, and setting a handsome example to his men of coolness, energy and courage." General Garland speaks of him as being "with some few others the very first to enter the strong position of El Molino;" and adds that "Brevet Major Buchanan, Fourth Infantry, Captain Robert Anderson, Third Artillery and Lieutenant Sedgwick, Second Artillery, appear to have been particularly distinguished for their gallant defense of the captured works." In addition to this testimony, General Worth directed the attention of the Secretary of War to the part he had taken in the action. He was made Brevet Major, his commission dating from the day of the battle.

In the year 1851, he was promoted to the full rank of Major in the First Artillery. It was while holding this rank and in command of the Garrison

of Fort Moultrie, that the storm which has so devastated this fair land first gathered strength and broke upon us.

On the 20th day of December, 1860, the State of South Carolina declared itself out of the Union. The event was celebrated in numerous Southern towns and cities by the firing of salutes, military parades, and secession speeches. At New Orleans a bust of Calhoun was exhibited, decorated with a cockade; and at Memphis the citizens burned Senator Andrew Johnson in effigy. The plague of disloyalty overspread the entire South. In the meantime, while the commissioners from South Carolina and the plotting members of Congress from the border states were complicating matters with a timid and vacillating President, Major Anderson found himself with less than one hundred men, shut up in an untenable fort, his own government fearing to send him reinforcements. Cut off from aid or supplies, menaced on every side, the deep murmurs of war growing louder and more threatening, the position of Major Anderson and his handful of men became imminent in the extreme. At this juncture of affairs, the brave soldier gave us an illustration of his forethought and sagacity.

One sunny morning crowds of anxious people fringed the wharves of Charleston, watching the mysterious curls of smoke that rose lazily from the ramparts of Fort Moultrie, and floated off seawardsmoke from the burning gun-carriages.