This splendid last effort was short. At a quarter after one,
Anderson ceased firing and raised a white flag. Negotiations
followed ending in terms of surrender--Anderson to be allowed to
remove his garrison to the fleet lying idle beyond the bar and to
salute the flag of the United States before taking it down. The
bombardment had lasted thirty-two hours without a death on either
side. The evacuation of the fort was to take place next day.

The afternoon of Sunday, the 14th of April, was a gala day in the
harbor of Charleston. The sunlight slanted across the roofs of
the city, sparkled upon the sea. Deep and rich the harbor always
looks in the spring sunshine on bright afternoons. The filmy
atmosphere of these latitudes, at that time of year, makes the
sky above the darkling, afternoon sea a pale but luminous
turquoise. There is a wonderful soft strength in the peaceful
brightness of the sun. In such an atmosphere the harbor was
flecked with brilliantly decked craft of every description, all
in a flutter of flags and carrying a host of passengers in gala
dress. The city swarmed across the water to witness the ceremony
of evacuation. Wherry men did a thriving business carrying
passengers to the fort.

Anderson withdrew from Sumter shortly after two o'clock amid a
salute of fifty guns. The Confederates took possession. At half
after four a new flag was raised above the battered and
fire-swept walls.



Chapter II. The Davis Government