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April 18, 1861 - Major Peter Stevens to Adjutant General David Jones

Click for full-sized scanned image Click for full-sized scanned image Reports of Major P.F. Stevens, commanding Point and Iron batteries SUPERINTENDENT'S OFFICE, CITADEL ACADEMY, April 18, 1861. MAJOR: Upon my return to this post I found the accompanying letter, which had been written to me by Captain G.B. Cuthbert during my temporary absence from Morris Island.* Sergeant Bissell did not exactly "cripple the gun of the left casemate," as a subsequent examination has proven, but Lieutenant Colonel De Saussure stated to me that Captain Seymour had informed him that our fire was so severe against the casemates bearing on my batteries that the men were driven out; and this fact is confirmed by my own observation-that the fire from said casemates ceased about 2 o'clock on Friday, and was never renewed, although on Saturday my glass showed me some men in one of the casemates about to fire, as I thought. Immediately I ordered the two 42-pounders and Bissell's 64-pounder to fire at the casemate, and the men within disappeared from sight. Added to the names of Phillips and Campbell as working in the magazine, I must mention McLane and Macbeth, working in the shell magazine. To my knowledge McLane never left his magazine from the firing of the first shell to the surrender of the fort. The captain is a little in error in attributing the accident to the shutter of the middle gun in the Iron battery to the recoil of the gun. In my report to Lieutenant-Colonel De Saussure you will find it correctly attributed to a shot from Fort Sumter. I most cheerfully agree with the captain in his praise of the gallant conduct of the men who came for the tools and materials to repair the broken lever, but I would not detract from their praise in mentioning that the heavy weights of the shutter and its counterbalance again deranged the lever-bar, so that during Saturday's engagements it was necessary to prop up the shutter, and fire with it thus open the whole day. The incident alluded to in reference to Mr. Lining, the judge-advocate of the Seventeenth Regiment, was as follows: Mr. Lining was erecting the flag of the Palmetto Guard on the traverse in rear of the Iron battery when the first shot from Fort Sumter passed within a few feet of him. The captain, thinking the position too exposed for the flag, directed it to be transferred to the traverse on the right (at least that is my impression). Certainly Mr. Lining removed the flag, amid the rush and hiss of several balls flying near him, planted it securely on the traverse to the right, and descended amid the plaudits of his comrades. In all respects, save what I have here mentioned, I fully indorse Captain Cuthbert's communication, and am obliged to him for the facts recalled to my memory. There is one somewhat remarkable incident which I beg leave here to record. On Thursday evening our camp was thrown into considerable excitement by the report that the demand was to be made for the surrender of the fort, and when it was reported that a white flag had been sent to Sumter our batteries were all manned, and the men in eager expectation were watching the fort. I was standing on the traverse closing the left flank of the Iron battery. A number of men were around me. Suddenly the United States flag on Fort Sumter was seen to split in two distinct parts, dividing from the front edge to the back just along the lower extremity of the "Union." I remarked to the men around me, "I wonder if that is emblematical?" Several remarked that it appeared ominous. For several moments the flag flew in this condition, when it was hauled down and another flag raised in its stead. Very respectfully, P.F. STEVENS, Major and Superintendent, Citadel Academy. Major D.R. JONES, Adjutant-General. * Not found. (To view this page in its Source Category, click HERE for Part 1 and HERE for Part 2)