The older
members of the family sat up until after midnight. The sea was calm, and
the night still under the bright starlight. At last they decided to
retire, but there was little sleep for them that night.
At half-past four the next morning the sound of guns from Fort Johnson
broke upon the stillness. It was the signal to the Confederate batteries
to open fire.
Hardly had the echo of the opening gun died upon the air when every
Confederate fort and battery opened fire upon Sumter, until the fort was
"surrounded by a circle of fire."
The Fulton household dressed hurriedly and from the windows looked over
the harbor at the flashing lights and bursts of flame. Sylvia stood
close beside Mrs. Carleton, and they were all silent.
Aunt Connie brought up hot coffee and a tray of food, but none of them
cared to eat. Mr. Fulton waited anxiously for the sound of answering
guns from Fort Sumter. But not until seven o'clock that morning did Fort
Sumter open its fire.
"War has begun," said Mr. Fulton gravely, turning away from the window.
"Will the President's ships come soon, Father?" asked Sylvia.
"We must hope so," he answered; "and now there is no time for us to
lose. We must start at once."
"Bres' de Lord!" said Aunt Connie, who was standing near the door, and
as Mr. Fulton spoke she hurried off to her cabin to make her final
preparations for the long journey.
Mrs. Fulton hastened to pack up the few things they would take with
them, and Sylvia helped Mrs.
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