Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Civil War Oddities #74


Mrs. Robert Anderson was aghast when she learned that her husband and his men, who had taken refuge in Fort Sumter, were likely to be starved into submission.



During the Mexican War she had come to have great confidence in Sgt. Peter Hart, who later left the U.S. Army in order to join the police force of New York City. At Mrs. Anderson’s persuasion, Hart quit his job and accompanied her to Charleston. There he manages to get permission to join the civil work force inside Fort Sumter.


One of the most dramatic incidents for defenders of the fort came when a hail of Confederate hot shot set fire to wooden barracks. At the height of danger it was the sergeant-turned-policeman who took the lead in extinguishing the fire that threatened to engulf the installation.


Peter Hart nails the flag to the temporary flagstaff.