Following the American Civil War Sesquicentennial with day by day writings of the time, currently 1863.

War of the Rebellion: a Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies

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NEW YORK HARBOR,
January 12, 1861.

COLONEL: I have the honor to report that I reached this post at 8½ o’clock this morning with my command, having been unable to reach Fort Sumter. I will make a detailed report without delay.

I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

CHARLES R. WOODS,

First Lieutenant, Ninth Infantry.

Col. H. L. SCOTT, A. D.C.

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
Raleigh, January 12, 1861.

His Excellency JAMES BUCHANAN,
………………….. President of the United States:

SIR: Reliable information has reached this Department that on the 9th instant Forts Johnston and Caswell were taken possession of by State troops and persons resident in that vicinity, in an irregular manner. Upon the receipt of this information I immediately issued a military order requiring the forts to be restored to the authorities of the United States, which order will be executed this day.

My information satisfies me that this popular outbreak was caused by a report very generally credited, but which, for the sake of humanity, I hope is not true, that it was the purpose of the administration to coerce the Southern States, and that troops were on their way to garrison the Southern forts and to begin the work of our subjugation. This impression is not yet erased from the public mind, which is deeply agitated at the bare contemplation of so great an indignity and wrong, and I now most earnestly appeal to your Excellency to strengthen my hands in my efforts to preserve the public order here by placing it in my power to give public assurances that no measures of force are contemplated towards us.

Your Excellency will therefore pardon me for asking whether the United States forts in this State will be garrisoned with Federal troops during your administration? This question I ask in perfect respect, and with an earnest desire to prevent consequences which I know would be regretted by your Excellency as much as myself. Should I receive assurances that no troops will be sent to this State prior to 4th March next, then all will be peace and quiet here, and the property of the United States will be fully protected as heretofore. If, however I am unable to get such assurances, I will not undertake to answer for the consequences.

The forts in this State have long been unoccupied, and their being garrisoned at this time will unquestionably be looked upon as a hostile demonstration, and will, in my opinion, be certainly resisted.

Believing your Excellency to be sincerely desirous of preserving peace and preventing the effusion of the blood of your countrymen. I have deemed it my duty to yourself, as well as to the people of North Carolina, to make the foregoing inquiry, and to acquaint you with the state of the public mind here.

………………..Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN W. ELLIS.

FORT CASWELL, N. C., January 11, 1861.

SIR: I have the honor to report herewith that this post is reoccupied by a party of citizens from Wilmington and Smithville. They took possession at 7 o’clock on the night of the 10th instant. The individual who represents them as commanding officer is a Mr. Hedrick, from Wilmington; he has signed receipts to me for all the ordnance stores at the post, and is using such of them as he needs.

I would have used every effort to communicate this matter to the Department before this, only that Sergeant-Reilly was pleased to write on the night of its occurrence. Please send me instructions how I am to act, and if I am to receive what portion of the stores that is left; and how I am to expend the property they have destroyed, in the event of my receiving the stores back.

…………..I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

FREDERICK DARDINGKILLER,
Ordnance Sergeant, U. S. Army.

Col. S. COOPER,
Adjutant-General, U. S. Army, Washington, D. C.

FORT PICKENS, FLA., January 10, 1861.

SIR: I have the honor to report that on this date, I removed my command from Barrancas Barracks, Fla., to Fort Pickens, under special instructions received the previous day from the General-in-Chief.

……….I am, sir, very respectfully, your most obedient servant,

A. J. SLEMMER, ……….
First Lieutenant, First Artillery, Commanding Post.

Col. S. COOPER, Adjutant-General U.S. Army.

HEADQUARTERS FORT INDEPENDENCE,
January 10, 1861.

SIR: I have the honor to report that I embark with my command this afternoon on board the steamer Joseph Whitney for Fort Jefferson, Fla. Orders of the General-in-Chief by telegraph. Strength of command, four commissioned officers and sixty-two enlisted men.

Names of officers: Bvt. Maj. L. G. Arnold, commanding; Surg. A.  N. McLaren, First Lieut. Henry Benson, First Lieut. H. M. Blunt, A. A. Q. M. and A. C. S.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

L. G. ARNOLD,
Brevet Major, U. S. Army, Commanding.

Lieutenant-Colonel THOMAS,
Asst. Adjt. Gen., U.S. Army, New York City.

RALEIGH, N. C., January 10, 1861.

Hon. WARREN WINSLOW:

Call on General Scott; demand of him to know if he intends to garrison the North Carolina forts. Reply immediately.

JOHN W. ELLIS.

Private.] . . . . . . . . . . .[STATE OF FLORIDA,] . . . . . . . . EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,

January 10, 1861.

Hon. JNO. C. McGEHEE, President of the Convention:

SIR: The inclosed dispatch has this morning reached me, and I hasten to transmit it through you to the Convention.

Very respectfully,

M. S. PERRY.

[Inclosure]


(By telegraph from Washington, dated January 9, 1861. )

For Governor PERRY:

Federal troops are said to be moving, or to move, on the Pensacola forts. Every hour is important. Georgia and Alabama if called will aid in the work, we think. The two seaboard forts are vacant. Chase, at Pensacola, built and knows the works.

S. R. MALLORY.

GEORGE S. HAWKINS.

D. L. YULEE.

FORT JOHNSTON, N. C.,
January 10, 1861—11 o’clock a. m.

SIR: I respectfully wish to state that the party of citizens who took possession of Forts Johnston and Caswell yesterday has perceived their error. It seems that they were not sustained by the people which brought them into it, or caused them to create such an act of violence against the Federal Government. They were the leaders of a few fanatics in Wilmington, who sent a dispatch to this place that the Department had ordered the revenue cutter forward with troops to garrison Forts Johnston and Caswell, and that they should take possession of the forts before the Federal troops should arrive; that they would assist them with both men, money, and provisions. They failed to do so.

Then they came to both me and Sergeant Dardingkiller and asked us to take back the public property. I answered, Yes; if there was none of it broken, or none of the ammunition expended. It was returned in good order. As they deprived me of all quick communication with the Department, so that I might receive instructions how to act, I thought to do as I did. I wanted to go to Wilmington to telegraph this business to the Department, but when they found I was going on the schooner’ that runs between here and Wilmington as a passenger boat, the passengers chartered the boat from the owners to prevent me from going. I hope that the conduct of me and Sergeant Dardingkiller will be approved by the Department, as we took the responsibility of taking the stores back for the best interest of the public service.

I remain, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JAMES REILLY,
Ordnance Sergeant, U. S. Army.

Col. S. COOPER,
Adjutant-General, U. S. Army, Washington City, D. C.

be approved by the Department, as we took the responsibility of taking the stores back for the best interest of the public service.
I remain, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JAMES REILLY,
. Ordnance Sergeant, U. S. Army.
Col. S. COOPER,
Adjutant-General, U. S. Army, Washington City, D. C.
No. 2.
Reports of Ordnance Sergeant Frederick Dardingkiller, U. S. Army, of
the first seizure of Fort Caswell.
FORT CASWELL, N. C., January 11, 1861. SIR : I have the honor to report herewith that this post is reoccupied by a party of citizens from Wilmington and Smithville. They took possession at 7 o’clock on the night of the 10th instant. The individual who represents them as commanding officer is a Mr. Hedrick, from Wilmington • he has signed receipts to me for all the ordnance stores at the post, and is using such of them as he needs.
I would have used every effort to communicate this matter to the Department before this, only that Sergeant-Reilly was pleased to write on the night of its occurrence. Please send me instructions how I am to act, and if I am to receive what portion of the stores that is left ; and how I am to expend the property they have destroyed, in the event of my receiving the stores back.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
FREDERICK DARDINGKILLER, Ordnance Sergeant, U. S. Army.
Col. S. COOPER,
Adjutant-General, U. S. Army, Washington, D. C.
FORT CASWELL, N. C., January 14, 1861. SIR : I most respectfully wish to state that the party of citizens who occupied this post has lett this day. Mr. Hedrick, who signed receipts to me for the ordnance stores, has returned them to me in good order, except what he expended.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your most obedient servant,
F. DARDINGKILLER,
Ordnance Sergeant, U. S. Army.
Col. S. COOPER,
Adjutant-Gen,eral, U. S. Army, Washington, D. C.
No. 3.
Extract from annual report of Capt. John G. Foster, U. S. Engineers,
dated October 1, 1861. (Seizure of Fort Macon.)
This work was taken possession of by the troops of the State of North Carolina about the middle of April. It was at that time in bad repair;

WAR DEPARTMENT,
Washington, January 9, 1861.

Hons. D. L. YULEE and S. R. MALLORY:

GENTLEMEN: In reply to your note of the 2d instant I have the honor to state that the interests of the service forbid that the information which you ask should at this moment be made public.

Very, &c.,

J. HOLT,
Secretary of War ad interim.

FORT JOHNSTON, N. C.,
January 9, 1861—9 o’clock a. m.

SIR : I have the honor to report herewith that this post has been taken possession of this morning at 4 o’clock a. m. by a party of the citizens of Smithville, N. C. They came to my door at the time above stated and demanded the keys of the magazine of me. I told them I would not give up the keys to any person with my life. They replied that it was no use to be obstinate, for they had the magazine already in their possession, and that they had a party of twenty men around it, and were determined to keep it; if not by fair means, they would break it open. I considered a while and seen it was no use to persevere, for they were determined to have what ordnance stores there was at the post. I then told them if they would sign receipts to me for the ordnance and ordnance stores at the post, I would give it up to them. (There was no alternative left me but to act as I did.) They replied that they would do so. The receipt was signed. and [they] left fifteen men in charge of the post; the remainder proceeded to take Fort Caswell, which is in their possession by this time. I do not know what arrangement Ordnance Sergeant Dardingkiller made with them.

They have taken out of the magazine at this post nearly all the musket cartridges in it; they are also taking the guns out of the block-house and mounting them. I would have telegraphed long since, had I an opportunity of doing so, to the Department, but I could get no means of going to Wilmington—no person would hire me their horse or boat for that purpose. Please send me instructions how I am to act hereafter, as there is expected this afternoon 300 men from Wilmington, N. C., to occupy both posts.

They have not as yet decided what to do with me or Sergeant Dardingkiller. I expect they will send us away as soon as they get some kind of an organization amongst them.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JAMES REILLY,
Ordnance Sergeant, U. S. Army.

Col. S. COOPER,
………………Adjutant-General, U. S. Army, Washington City, D. C.