then　seemed　to　find　his　resolution　and　came　out　strong　against　a
  demand　for　surrender。　〃It　is　suicide；　murder；　and　will　lose　us
  every　friend　at　the　North。。。。　It　is　unnecessary；　it　puts　us
  in　the　wrong；　it　is　fatal；〃　said　he。　But　the　Cabinet　and　the
  President　decided　to　take　the　risk。　To　General　Pierre　Beauregard；
  recently　placed　in　command　of　the　militia　assembled　at
  Charleston；　word　was　sent　to　demand　the　surrender　of　Fort　Sumter。
  On　Thursday；　the　7th　of　April；　besides　his　instructions　from
  Montgomery；　Beauregard　was　in　receipt　of　a　telegram　from　the
  Confederate　commissioners　at　Washington；　repeating　newspaper
  statements　that　the　Federal　relief　expedition　intended　to　land　a
  force　〃which　will　overcome　all　opposition。〃　There　seems　no　doubt
  that　Beauregard　did　not　believe　that　the　expedition　was　intended
  merely　to　provision　Sumter。　Probably　every　one　in　Charleston
  thought　that　the　Federal　authorities　were　trying　to　deceive　them；
  that　Lincoln's　promise　not　to　do　more　than　provision　Sumter　was　a
  mere　blind。　Fearfulness　that　delay　might　render　Sumter
  impregnable　lay　back　of　Beauregard's　formal　demand；　on　the　11th
  of　April；　for　the　surrender　of　the　fort。　Anderson　refused　but
  〃made　some　verbal　observations〃　to　the　aides　who　brought　him　the
  demand。　In　effect　he　said　that　lack　of　supplies　would　compel　him
  to　surrender　by　the　fifteenth。　When　this　information　was　taken
  back　to　the　city；　eager　crowds　were　in　the　streets　of　Charleston
  discussing　the　report　that　a　bombardment　would　soon　begin。　But
  the　afternoon　passed；　night　fell；　and　nothing　was　done。　On　the
  beautiful　terrace　along　the　sea　known　as　East　Battery；　people
  congregated；　watching　the　silent　fortress　whose　brick　walls　rose
  sheer　from　the　midst　of　the　harbor。　The　early　hours　of　the　night
  went　by　and　as　midnight　approached　and　still　there　was　no　flash
  from　either　the　fortress　or　the　shore　batteries　which　threatened
  it；　the　crowds　broke　up。
  Meanwhile　there　was　anxious　consultation　at　the　hotel　where
  Beauregard　had　fixed　his　headquarters。　Pilots　came　in　from　the
  sea　to　report　to　the　General　that　a　Federal　vessel　had　appeared
  off　the　mouth　of　the　harbor。　This　news　may　well　explain　the　hasty
  dispatch　of　a　second　expedition　to　Sumter　in　the　middle　of　the
  night。　At　half　after　one；　Friday　morning；　four　young　men；　aides
  of　Beauregard；　entered　the　fort。　Anderson　repeated　his　refusal　to
  surrender　at　once　but　admitted　that　he　would　have　to　surrender
  within　three　days。　Thereupon　the　aides　held　a　council　of　war。
  They　decided　that　the　reply　was　unsatisfactory　and　wrote　out　a
  brief　note　which　they　handed　to　Anderson　informing　him　that　the
  Confederates　would　open　〃fire　upon　Fort　Sumter　in　one　hour　from
  this　time。〃　The　note　was　dated　3：20　A。M。　The　aides　then　proceeded
  to　Fort　Johnston　on　the　south　side　of　the　harbor　and　gave　the
  order　to　fire。
  The　council　of　the　aides　at　Sumter　is　the　dramatic　detail　that
  has　caught　the　imagination　of　historians　and　has　led　them；　at
  least　in　some　cases；　to　yield　to　a　literary　temptation。　It　is　so
  dramaticthat　scene　of　the　four　young　men　holding　in　their
  hands；　during　a　moment　of　absolute　destiny；　the　fate　of　a　people；
  four　young　men；　in　the　irresponsible　ardor　of　youth；　refusing　to
  wait　three　days　and　forcing　war　at　the　instant！　It　is　so　dramatic
  that　one　cannot　judge　harshly　the　artistic　temper　which　is　unable
  to　reject　it。　But　is　the　incident　historic？　Did　the　four　young
  men　come　to　Sumter　without　definite　instructions？　Was　their
  conference　really　anything　more　than　a　careful　comparing　of　notes
  to　make　sure　they　were　doing　what　they　were　intended　to　do？　Is
  not　the　real　clue　to　the　event　a　message　from　Beauregard　to　the
  Secretary　of　War　telling　of　his　interview　with　the　pilots？　*
  *A　chief　authority　for　the　dramatic　version　of　the　council　of　the
  aides　is　that　fiery　Virginian；　Roger　A。　Pryor。　He　and　another
  accompanied　the　official　messengers；　the　signers　of　the　note　to
  Anderson；　James　Chestnut　and　Stephen　Lee。　Years　afterwards　Pryor
  told　the　story　of　the　council　in　a　way　to　establish　its　dramatic
  significance。　But　would　there　be　anything　strange　if　a　veteran
  survivor；　looking　back　to　his　youth；　as　all　of　us　do　through　more
  or　less　of　mirage　yielded　to　the　unconscious　artist　that　is　in　us
  all　and　dramatized　this　event　unaware？
  Dawn　was　breaking　gray；　with　a　faint　rain　in　the　air；　when　the
  first　boom　of　the　cannon　awakened　the　city。　Other　detonations
  followed　in　quick　succession。　Shells　rose　into　the　night　from
  both　sides　of　the　harbor　and　from　floating　batteries。　How　lightly
  Charleston　slept　that　night　may　be　inferred　from　the　accounts　in
  the　newspapers。　〃At　the　report　of　the　first　gun；〃　says　the
  Courier；　〃the　city　was　nearly　emptied　of　its　inhabitants　who
  crowded　the　Battery　and　the　wharves　to　witness　the　conflict。〃
  The　East　Battery　and　the　lower　harbor　of　the　lovely　city　of
  Charleston　have　been　preserved　almost　without　alteration。　What
  they　are　today　they　were　in　the　breaking　dawn　on　April　12；　1861。
  Business　has　gone　up　the　rivers　between　which　Charleston　lies　and
  has　left　the　point　of　the　city's　peninsula；　where　East　Battery
  looks　outward　to　the　Atlantic；　in　its　perfect　charm。　There　large
  houses；　pillared；　with　high　piazzas；　stand　apart　one　from　another
  among　gardens。　With　few　exceptions　they　were　built　before　the
  middle　of　the　century　and　all；　with　one　exception；　show　the
  classical　taste　of　those　days。　The　mariner；　entering　the　spacious
  inner　sea　that　is　Charleston　Harbor；　sights　this　row　of　stately
  mansions　even　before　he　crosses　the　bar　seven　miles　distant。
  Holding　straight　onward　up　into　the　land　he　heads　first　for　the
  famous　little　island　where；　nowadays；　in　their　halo　of　thrilling
  recollection；　the　walls　of　Sumter；　rising　sheer　from　the　bosom　of
  the　water；　drowse　idle。　Close　under　the　lee　of　Sumter；　the
  incoming　steersman　brings　his　ship　about　and　chooses；　probably；
  the　eastward　of　two　huge　tentacles　of　the　sea　between　which　lies
  the　city's　long　but　narrow　peninsula。　To　the　steersman　it　shows　a
  skyline　serrated　by　steeples；　fronted　by　sea；　flanked　southward
  by　sea；　backgrounded　by　an　estuary；　and　looped　about　by　a　sickle
  of　wooded　islands。　　This　same　scene；　so　far　as　city　and　nature
  go；　was　beheld　by　the　crowds　that　swarmed　East　Battery；　a
  flagstone　marine　parade　along　the　seaward　side　of　the　boulevard
  that　faces　Sumter；　that　filled　the　windows　and　even　the
  housetops；　that　watched　the　bombardment　with　the　eagerness　of　an
  audience　in　an　amphitheater；　that　applauded　every　telling　shot
  with　clapping　of　hands　and　waving　of　shawls　and　handkerchiefs。
  The　fort　lay　distant　from　them　about　three　miles；　but　only　some
  fifteen　hundred　yards　from　Fort　Johnston　on　one　side　and　about　a
  mile　from　Fort　Moultrie　on　the　other。　From　both　of　these　latter；
  the　cannon　of　those　days　were　equal　to　the　task　of　harassing
  Sumter。　Early　in　the　morning　of　the　12th　of　April；　though　not
  until　broad　day　had　come；　did　Anderson　make　reply。　All　that　day；
  at　first　under　heavily　rolling　cloud　and　later　through　curiously
  misty　sunshine；　the　fire　and　counterfire　continued。　〃The
  enthusiasm　and　fearlessness　of　the　spectators；〃　says　the
  Charleston　Mercury；　〃knew　no　bounds。〃　Reckless　observers　even　put
  out　in　small　boats　and　roamed　about　the　harbor　almost　under　the
  guns　of　the　fort。　Outside　the　bar；　vessels　of　the　relieving
  squadron　were　now　visible；　and　to　these　Anderson　signaled　for
  aid。　They　made　an　attempt　to　reach　the　fort；　but　only　part　of　the
  squadron　had　arrived；　and　the　vessels　necessary　to　raise　the
  siege　were　not　there。　The　attempt　ended　in　failure。　When　night
  came；　a　string　of　rowboats　each　carrying　a　huge　torch　kept　watch
  along　the　bar　to　guard　against　surprise　from　the　sea。
  On　that　Friday　night　the　harbor　was　swept　by　storm。　But　in　spite
  of　torrents　of　rain　East　Battery　and　the　rooftops　were　thronged。
  〃The　wind　was　inshore　and　the　booming　was　startlingly　distinct。〃
  At　the　height　of　the　bombardment；　the　sky　above　Sumter　seemed　to
  be　filled　with　the　flashes　of　bursting　shells。　But　during　this
  wild　night　Sumter　itself　was　both　dark　and　silent。　Its　casements
  did　not　have　adequate　lamps　and　the　guns　could　not　be　used　except
  by　day。　When　morning　broke；　clear　and　bright　after　the　night's
  storm；　the　duel　was　resumed。
  The　walls　of　Sumter　were　now　crumbling。　At　eight　o'clock　Saturday
  morning　the　barracks　took　fire。　Soon　after　it　was　perceived　from
  the　shore　that　the　flag　was　down。　Beauregard　at　once　sent　offers
  of　assistance。　With　Sumter　in　flames　above　his　head；　Anderson
  replied　that　he　had　not　surrendered；　he　declined　assistance；　and
  he　hauled　up　his　flag。　Later　in　the　day　the　flagstaff　was　shot　in
  two　and　again　the　flag　fell；　and　again　it　was　raised。　Flames　had
  been　kindled　anew　by　red…hot　shot；　and　now　the　magazine　was　in
  danger。　Quantities　of　powder　were　thrown　into　the　sea。　Still　the
  rain　of　red…hot　shot　continued。　About　noon；　Saturday；　says　the
  Courier；　〃flames　burst　out　from　every　quarter　of　Sumter　and
  poured　from　many　of　its　portholes。。。the　wind　was　from　the
  west　driving　the　smoke　across　the　fort　into　the　embrasures　where
  the　gunners　were　at　work。〃　Nevertheless；　〃as　if　served　with　a　new
  impulse；〃　the　guns　of　Sumter　redoubled　their　fire。　But