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Lot 1178
(Confederate) Beauregard Prepares Charleston Harbor For Attack - April 9, 1861. Special Orders issued "By Order of Brig. Genl. Beauregard" from Head Quarters Provisional Forces S.C.A., Charleston, April 9, 1861, 1 p. quarto. Written and signed by Assistant Adjutant-General D.R. Jones and marked "Official," this copy was sent to "R.S. Ripley / Lt. Col. Arty Comy." Ripley's headquarters were at Fort Moultrie on Sullivan's Island. Written on pale blue paper; uneven left margin affects part of initial letters on four lines, but does not affect legibility. The orders are:
The following "Light Signals" are substituted for those which have been furnished heretofore viz:
Prepare to see Signals - one Rocket
Enemy coming in, two Rockets and one blue Light
Enemys boats in Maffitt Channel, one blue Light
Enemys boats in North Channel, one Blue Light and two Rockets
Enemys boats, in Ship Channel, one blue Light and one Rocket
Enemys boats pulling for Sumpter two blue Lights.
By Order of Brig. Genl. Beauregard…."
When South Carolina seceded from the Union on December 20, 1860, there were four Federal installations around Charleston Harbor: Fort Moultrie on Sullivan's Island, Castle Pinckney on Shute's Folley, Fort Johnson on James Island, and Fort Sumter, which was at the harbor entrance. Six days after the secession ordinance, Major Robert Anderson, who commanded two companies (85 men) of the First U.S. Artillery, secretly moved his troops from Fort Moultrie, which he considered indefensible, to Fort Sumter. Charlestonians angrily demanded that the U.S. Government evacuate Charleston Harbor, but President James Buchanan refused. In January 1861, an attempted relief expedition was turned back by South Carolina shore batteries, and Fort Sumter gradually became the focal point of tensions between the North and the South. When President Lincoln took office on March 4, 1861, he made it clear that he intended to hold Fort Sumter, and on April 8th, Governor Pickens of South Carolina received notice from President Lincoln that a relief expedition was being sent to resupply Fort Sumter. The Confederate cabinet telegraphed Beauregard on April 10th to fire on Fort Sumter, if needed, to prevent the attempt to relieve the fort.
As part of his preparation, Beauregard issued these orders on April 9th pertaining to light signals. On April 10, 1861, Maj. Gen. Beauregard demanded the surrender of the Union garrison at Fort Sumter. Major Anderson refused and at 4:30 A.M. on April 12, Confederate batteries began a 34-hour bombardment. Major Anderson agreed to a truce about 2 P.M. on the 13th and on April 14, he and his garrison marched out of the fort and boarded a ship to New York. The war had begun.
Beauregard's report on the bombardment and surrender of Fort Sumter, dated April 27, 1861, included praise for Lt. Col. Ripley: "…Of Lieut. Col. R.S. Ripley, First Artillery Battalion, commandant of batteries on Sullivan's Island, I cannot speak too highly, and join with General Dunovant [Brig. Gen. South Carolina Army]…in commending in the highest terms his sagacity, experience, and unflagging zeal…."
Estimated Value $4,000 - 6,000.
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| Realized $4,140 |
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