THE BOMBARDMENT OF SUMTER; Official Report of Gen. Beauregard. HEADQUARTERS PROVISIONAL ARMY, Published: May 12, 1861
"CHARLESTON, S.C., April 27, 1861
Brig. Gen. Cooper, Adjutant General, U.S.A.:
SIR: I have the honor to submit the following detailed report of the bombardment and surrender of Fort Sumter, and the incidents connected therewith. Having completed my channel defence and batteries in the harbor, necessary for the reduction of Fort Sumter, I dispatched two of my Aids, 2:20 P.M., on Thursday the 11th of April, with a communication to Major Anderson, in command of the fortification, demanding its evacuation. I offered to transport himself and command to any port in the United States he might select, to allow him to more out of the fort with company arms and property, and all private property, and to salute his flag on lowering it. He refused to accede to the demand. As my Aids were about leaving, Major Anderson remarked, that if we did not batter him to pieces he would be starved out in few days, or words to that effect.
This being reported to me by my Aids, on their return with his refusal at 5 10 P.M., I deemed it proper to telegraph the purport of his remark to the Secretary of War. I received by telegraph the following instructions at 9.10 P.M. -- "Do not desire needlessly to bombard Fort Sumter. If Major ANDERSON will state the time at which, as indicated by him, he will evacuate, and agree that in the meantime he will not use his guns against us, unless ours should be employed against Fort Sumter, you are authorized thus to avoid effusion of blood. If this or its equivalent be refused, reduce the fort as your judgment decide to be most practicable." At 11 P.M. I sent my Aids with a communication to Major ANDERSON, based upon the foregoing instructions. It was placed in his hands at 12.45 A.M., 12th inst. He expressed his willingness to evacuate the fort on Monday afternoon, if provided with the necessary means of transportation, and if he should not receive contradictory instructions from his Government or additional supplies. But he declined to agree not to open his guns upon us in the event of any hostile demonstration on our part against his flag. This reply, which was open and shown to my Aids, plainly indicated that if instructions should be received contrary to his purpose to evacuate, or if he should receive his supplies, or if the Confederate troops should fire on hostile troops of the United States, or upon transports bearing the United States flag, containing men, munitions, and supplies, designed for hostile operations against us, he would still feel himself bound to fire upon us and to hold possession of the fort."
