FORT SUMTER IS FIRED UPON
When Sylvia's father heard of her sailing the Butterfly to Fort Sumter
he was greatly troubled.
"If it should be discovered that my daughter had carried a message to
Fort Sumter we would all be in danger; even the Waites would give us
up," he declared. "What made you undertake such a thing, Sylvia?"
The little girl explained as well as she could her wish to get news of
Captain Carleton for his wife, and said that she was sure no one knew
that she was a white girl. But Mr. Fulton was anxious and uneasy, and
Sylvia began to realize that her secret adventure might bring serious
results to those she loved best.
"I told Captain Carleton what Uncle Peter said about ships coming to
help Fort Sumter," she said, feeling almost sure that her father would
think this the worst of all, but determined to make a full confession.
She resolved that never again would she make plans without telling her
mother and father, for she was most unhappy at her father's troubled
look, and at his disapproval.
"What?" exclaimed Mr. Fulton. "Did you tell Captain Carleton that
reinforcements were coming to the aid of Fort Sumter?"
"Oh, yes, I did, Father," sobbed Sylvia, who was now sure that she had
told the very worst of her acts.
But to her surprise she heard her father say: "Thank heaven! That may
influence Anderson to hold the fort until help arrives," and his arm
was about his little daughter, and she looked up through her tears to
hear him say:
"The news you carried to the fort is just what they wanted to know. And
it may help to save the Union. It is worth while for us all to face
personal danger if it proves that you were of service."
Sylvia did not quite understand why Uncle Peter's news should be so
important, but her father explained to her that Major Anderson would
now feel sure of help, and that his men would have courage to bear
hardship and hunger if need be until the ships arrived.
"And you forgive me for going?" Sylvia pleaded.
"My dear child! I am glad and proud that you could carry such a message
to brave soldiers," her father replied, "but do not mention it to
anyone. I must hasten my arrangements to leave Charleston. General
Beauregard may fire upon Fort Sumter at any day, and I am of no use
here."
Sylvia drew a long breath of relief. That her father should really
praise her for what she had feared might prove a very serious mistake
made the little girl happy although it did not change her resolve never
again to make adventurous plans without the approval of her mother or
father. She realized that, although she had carried a valuable message,
she had also endangered her father's safety if her visit to the fort
was discovered, as every southerner would believe that Mr. Fulton had
made the plan to be of aid to the United States.
The little household now began its preparations to start north as soon
as possible, and Sylvia was eager for the time to come that would see
them safely on their way to their northern home. Grace Waite and her
mother had gone into the country, and Sylvia did not know if she would
see her friend again.
The morning of April 11, 1861, dawned brightly over the harbor of
Charleston, whose waters were covered with white sails putting hastily
to sea. Guard-boats were plying constantly between the harbor and the
islands. It was rumored about the town that before sunset the
Confederate batteries would open fire upon Fort Sumter.
Mr. Fulton's preparations to leave Charleston were completed, and if
nothing prevented they would start for Boston on April 14th. On the
eleventh, however, Mrs. Carleton hardly left the window from which she
could look out over the harbor toward Fort Sumter. At any moment it
might be attacked, and she knew that such an attack meant the beginning
of a terrible civil war.
Sylvia wandered about the house and garden with Estralla, telling the
little colored girl of the home in Boston which she soon hoped to see.
The hours passed, and the streets of Charleston grew strangely quiet.
At sunset everything was calm, and no sound of guns disturbed the peace
of the April evening, and Sylvia went to bed at the usual hour, not
thinking that she would be wakened by the roar of cannon. The older
members of the family sat up until after midnight. The sea was calm,
and the night still under the bright starlight. At last they decided to
retire, but there was little sleep for them that night.
At half-past four the next morning the sound of guns from Fort Johnson
broke upon the stillness. It was the signal to the Confederate
batteries to open fire.
Hardly had the echo of the opening gun died upon the air when every
Confederate fort and battery opened fire upon Sumter, until the fort
was "surrounded by a circle of fire."
The Fulton household dressed hurriedly and from the windows looked over
the harbor at the flashing lights and bursts of flame. Sylvia stood
close beside Mrs. Carleton, and they were all silent.
Aunt Connie brought up hot coffee and a tray of food, but none of them
cared to eat. Mr. Fulton waited anxiously for the sound of answering
guns from Fort Sumter. But not until seven o'clock that morning did
Fort Sumter open its fire.
"War has begun," said Mr. Fulton gravely, turning away from the window.
"Will the President's ships come soon, Father?" asked Sylvia.
"We must hope so," he answered; "and now there is no time for us to
lose. We must start at once."
"Bres' de Lord!" said Aunt Connie, who was standing near the door, and
as Mr. Fulton spoke she hurried off to her cabin to make her final
preparations for the long journey.
Mrs. Fulton hastened to pack up the few things they would take with
them, and Sylvia helped Mrs. Carleton pack. Early in the fore-noon they
were ready. Mr. Robert Waite's carriage was at the door, with Mr.
Waite, who had come to escort them on the first stage of their journey.
"I wish I could say good-bye to Grace," said Sylvia as she went down
the steps of the porch. She was all ready to enter the carriage when
she heard her name called: "Sylvia! Sylvia!" and Grace came flying up
the path.
"Grace! Grace!" responded Sylvia, and for a moment the two little
girls, "Yankee" and southern girl, clung closely together, while the
noise of the echoing guns from the forts boomed over the harbor.
"We will always be friends, won't we, Sylvia?" said Grace; and Sylvia
responded "Always." Then with one more good-bye kiss Grace turned and
ran back to Mammy Esther. She had persuaded her mother to bring her to
Charleston that she might bid Sylvia good-bye, and now they would
hasten back to the country, for Charleston might be attacked by United
States ships of war, and was no longer a place of safety.
The Fultons now entered the carriage. Aunt Connie and Estralla were the
only members of the party who were smiling and happy. To Estralla it
was the most wonderful day of her life. She was free. And with her
mammy and her Missy Sylvia she was starting for a world where little
colored girls could go to school, just as white children did, and never
be bought or sold. She looked at Sylvia with adoring eyes.
"What are you thinking of, Estralla?" asked Sylvia.
Estralla leaned close to her "true fr'en'" and whispered: "I was
a-t'inkin' 'bout my breakin' of de pitcher, an' a-spillin' de hot
water, Missy Sylvia. You took my part den, Missy, an' you'se allers
taken my part. My mammy say she bress de Lord dat you came to
Charleston."
Sylvia smiled back at the little colored girl. For a moment she forgot
the booming of the distant guns, and remembered only her friends and
the happy days she had spent in her southern home.
The next Volume in this Series will be:
A YANKEE GIRL AT BULL RUN
End of Project Gutenberg's Yankee Girl at Fort Sumter, by Alice Turner Curtis