Charleston, word was sent to demand the surrender of Fort Sumter.

On Thursday, the 7th of April, besides his instructions from
Montgomery, Beauregard was in receipt of a telegram from the
Confederate commissioners at Washington, repeating newspaper
statements that the Federal relief expedition intended to land a
force "which will overcome all opposition." There seems no doubt
that Beauregard did not believe that the expedition was intended
merely to provision Sumter. Probably every one in Charleston
thought that the Federal authorities were trying to deceive them,
that Lincoln's promise not to do more than provision Sumter was a
mere blind. Fearfulness that delay might render Sumter
impregnable lay back of Beauregard's formal demand, on the 11th
of April, for the surrender of the fort. Anderson refused but
"made some verbal observations" to the aides who brought him the
demand. In effect he said that lack of supplies would compel him
to surrender by the fifteenth. When this information was taken
back to the city, eager crowds were in the streets of Charleston
discussing the report that a bombardment would soon begin. But
the afternoon passed; night fell; and nothing was done. On the
beautiful terrace along the sea known as East Battery, people
congregated, watching the silent fortress whose brick walls rose
sheer from the midst of the harbor. The early hours of the night
went by and as midnight approached and still there was no flash
from either the fortress or the shore batteries which threatened
it, the crowds broke up.

Meanwhile there was anxious consultation at the hotel where
Beauregard had fixed his headquarters. Pilots came in from the
sea to report to the General that a Federal vessel had appeared