off the mouth of the harbor. This news may well explain the hasty
dispatch of a second expedition to Sumter in the middle of the
night. At half after one, Friday morning, four young men, aides
of Beauregard, entered the fort. Anderson repeated his refusal to
surrender at once but admitted that he would have to surrender
within three days. Thereupon the aides held a council of war.
They decided that the reply was unsatisfactory and wrote out a
brief note which they handed to Anderson informing him that the
Confederates would open "fire upon Fort Sumter in one hour from
this time." The note was dated 3:20 A.M. The aides then proceeded
to Fort Johnston on the south side of the harbor and gave the
order to fire.

The council of the aides at Sumter is the dramatic detail that
has caught the imagination of historians and has led them, at
least in some cases, to yield to a literary temptation. It is so
dramatic--that scene of the four young men holding in their
hands, during a moment of absolute destiny, the fate of a people;
four young men, in the irresponsible ardor of youth, refusing to
wait three days and forcing war at the instant! It is so dramatic
that one cannot judge harshly the artistic temper which is unable
to reject it. But is the incident historic? Did the four young
men come to Sumter without definite instructions? Was their
conference really anything more than a careful comparing of notes
to make sure they were doing what they were intended to do? Is
not the real clue to the event a message from Beauregard to the
Secretary of War telling of his interview with the pilots? *

*A chief authority for the dramatic version of the council of the
aides is that fiery Virginian, Roger A. Pryor. He and another