Scarcely had their commissioners
left, than Major Anderson waged war. No other words will describe his
action. It was not a peaceful change from one fort to another; it was a
hostile act in the highest sense--one only justified in the presence of
a superior enemy and in imminent peril. He abandoned his position,
spiked his guns, burned his gun-carriages, made preparations for the
destruction of his post, and withdrew under cover of the night to a
safer position. This was war. No man could have believed (without your
assurance) that any officer could have taken such a step, "not only
without orders, but against orders." What the State did was in simple
self-defense; for this act, with all its attending circumstances, was as
much war as firing a volley; and, war being thus begun, until those
commencing it explained their action, and disavowed their intention,
there was no room for delay; and, even at this moment, while we are
writing, it is more than probable, from the tenor of your letter, that
reenforcements are hurrying on to the conflict, so that, when the first
gun shall be fired, there will have been, on your part, one continuous
consistent series of actions commencing in a demonstration essentially
warlike, supported by regular reenforcement, and terminating in defeat
or victory. And all this without the slightest provocation; for, among
the many things which you have said, there is one thing you can not
say--you have waited anxiously for news from the seat of war, in hopes
that delay would furnish some excuse for this precipitation.
Pages:
938
939
940
941
942
943
944
945
946
947
948
949
950
951
952
953
954
955
956
957
958
959
960
961
962