Henry,

During the times when Confederate peacemmakers, a.k.a. commissioners, were in Washington City in a vain attempt to gain an audience with Abraham Lincoln, I always like to mention that there were others in New York known discussing the planned 632 mile down the coast voyage to hummm... for a food supply reinforcement of Fort Sumpter, to be carried in, no doubt, by a 'few' well-supplied infantry troops (perhaps 500).

The 1860-61 orchestrator of this excusion, a Captain Gustavas Fox, had planned to see his 'supply ships' rendezvous with a small fleet of tugboats (small targets yet speedily powerful) while still at sea, albeit while visually well off of the bar at Charleston and then make a run for the beleagured Island Fort's sallyport landing. It was well known to the US authorities that Sumpter's garrison had indcated that their food and water was all but depleted.

Earler, the then US Army Adjutant General Samuel Cooper is quoted to have said, "I do hope that no attempt will be made by our friends to throw supplies in; their doing so would do more harm than good". - O.R. page 163 dated Feb. 5th 1861.

After a time, it became evident to Confederate authorities that the Southern peace commissioners sent to the District of Columbia would not be entertained and a descision was then made that the on-going fresh food boat runs out to Fort Sumpter was regretably to be halted. It was hoped that the food would run out and the garrsion would retire from the little island that both governments had laid claim to before the blood began to run out. Because of a severe storm at sea, the tugs never rendezvou'd with the 'troop-supply' vessels off of Charleston. but the Confederates found out about the NY based fleet getting underway on the 6th instant. The rest is history.

Now to re-creating such history.... Would anyone know if the multitudes of naval and military re-enactors have any intentions to flock to the ramparts down in Charleston Harbour to re-create the event this year? What's the NEWS?

Why have we not heard anything of it in the main-stream media? Will it not occur this year? Do you know of any ground swell to conduct such an extravaganza for the 145 or 150th anniversaries yet? What group or governing body of re-enactors shall we look to to supply us with such a re-creation?

Is there one iota to mention?

Walt