The enlistment obligations of two of the garrisoned soldiers at Fort Sumter ran out during the crisis, but they opted to stay without compensation, to see the thing finished.

>A Northern newspaper published a letter from one of the enlisted men: “We have enough to eat and drink,” it said. “Our fuel is scarce, but that is nothing… Major Anderson is a true soldier, and so are the other officers, and the men would die for him. I only wish we had a chance to give the rascals hell.” >In February the enlistments of two of the men expired, but they agreed to stay on, though they were no longer officially in the army and would not receive pay. As they said, they wanted to “see it out.” ______________________________ **Source:** Detzer, David. “Hostages.” *Allegiance: Fort Sumter, Charleston, and the Beginning of the Civil War*. New York: Harcourt, 2002. 183. Print. **Original Source(s) Listed**: >Crawford to brother, January 17, 24, 1861, SWC. >*New York Herald*, April 5 (this “letter” may have been bogus, since its author – one Private Johnson McNeill – was not on Sumter’s rosters, but there was a Johnson, a Magill, and a Neilan, and uncertain handwriting may have led to an error). >Talbot to mother, February 21, 1861, TT. ______________________________ **Further Reading:** [Fort Sumter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Sumter)