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April 15, 1861 - Stephen D. Lee et al to Major D.R. Jones

Click for full-sized scanned image Click for full-sized scanned image Joint reports of James Chestnut (Jr.), Lieutenant Colonel A.R. Chisolm, Captain S.D. Lee, and Messrs. John L. Manning, William Porcher Miles, and Roger A. Pryor, aides-de-camp HEADQUARTERS PROVISIONAL ARMY, C.S.A., Charleston, April 15, 1861. SIR: We have the honor to submit the following report of our visit to Fort Sumter on the 13th instant: Informed about 1 o'clock that no flag was waving over Fort Sumter, General Beauregard detached us immediately to proceeded to the fort and say to Major Anderson that his flag going down and his quarters in flames we were sent to inquire if he needed any assistance. When about half-way from the city to Fort Sumter we observed that the United States flag had been raised again. At once we determined to go back to the city, but had not proceeded far in return when, discovering a white flag floating form the ramparts of Sumter, we again directed our course to the fort. On landing we were conducted to the presence of Major Anderson, whom we informed that in consequence of the conflagration in the fort we had been sent by General Beauregard to inquire if he needed assistance. Major Anderson replied: "Present my compliments to General Beauregard, and salt o him I thank him for his kindness, but need no assistance." Continuing, the major said: "Gentlemen, do I understand you have come direct from General Beauregard?" We replied int he affirmative. "Why," returned Major Anderson, "Colonel Wigfall has just been here as an aide to and by authority of General Beauregard, and proposed the same terms of evacuation offered on the 11th instant." We informed him we had just left General Beauregard in the city, and had come in obedience to his orders, charged with the message just delivered. The major expressed regret for the misunderstanding,and repeated that he had understood Colonel Wigfall to say he was direct from General Beauregard, and as one his aides was authorized to propose terms of evacuation. We then inquired if he would reduce to writing the terms proposed by Colonel Wigfall. To which the major replied, certainly he would. Major Anderson then declared than he would immediately run up his flag; that he regretted it had ever been taken down, and that i would not have been lowered if he had not understood Colonel Wigfall to come directly from General Beauregard to treat. We requested that, under the peculiar circumstances, he would not raise his flag until we could communicate to General Beauregard the terms of evacuation with which he had furnished us; he assented to the proposition, and we left the fort. STEPHEN D. LEE, Captain, C.S. Army. ROGER A. PRYOR, WM. PORCHER MILES, Aides-de-Camp. to Major D.R. JONES, Assistant Adjutant-General, Provisional Forces, C.S.A. (To view this page in its Source Category, click HERE for Part 1 and HERE for Part 2)