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| Joined: | Tue Nov 15th, 2005 |
| Location: | USA |
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Stationed at Fort Barrancas, U.S. Army Lieutenant Adam J. Slemmer realized that if war proved inevitable and Southern forces attacked, his small force of 51 men could not possibly defend all four forts. On January 10, 1861, the same day Florida seceded from the Union, he concentrated all his troops in Fort Pickens, which he believed was the key to the defense of Pensacola’s harbor. Two days later, Slemmer’s men watched as Southern soldiers moved into the other forts across the channel, removing the U.S. flags. Then, on January 15, soldiers from Florida and Alabama demanded the surrender of Fort Pickens. Lieutenant Slemmer refused. On January 28, 1861, a truce was reached that stated that the South would not attack and Fort Pickens would not be reinforced.
So the situation at Fort Pickens is temporarily ended in a truce with the South (or probably more accurately Florida and Alabama) not attacking and Fort Pickens not supposed to be reinforced by the federal government. But link 38facts2 sounds like Chase is unsuccesful and goes to tell President Davis of his failure before the end of January. It even has the script for a little skit for the events of January 15, 1861 which states:
Slemmer: I will give this letter due consideration...I will give you my answer tomorrow morning.
[Pause, Confederates exit stage. Then Farrand returns--this time with his glasses on--stating he has received a letter (from Slemmer) addressed to Chase, which he reads:]
Farrand: Under the orders we now have from the War Department, we have decided...that it is our duty to hold our position until such a force is brought against us as to render it impossible to defend it, or until the political condition of the country is such as to induce us to surrender the public property in our keeping to such authorities as may be delegated legally to receive it.
We deprecate as much as you or any individual can the present condition of affairs, or the shedding of the blood of our brethren. In regard to this matter, however, we must consider you the aggressors and if blood is shed that you are responsible therefore.
If the Confederacy doesn't exist on January 15th, how can Confederate officals leave the scene? It just seems like everything is supposed to be taking place before the Confederacy and 38facts2 is placing the Confederacy earlier. If it were to have said that Chase reported this to Davis after he became President then I could accept that. But not to say that and to have the script have Confederate officals leaving the fort on January 15th, it just seems something is wrong with the page.