[The following takes place after the surrender of Fort Sumter.]
The inside of Fort Sumter was still decidedly warm, the air filled with smoky residue. The light in the casemate was murky because its doorway had been partly blocked to keep the room relatively shell-proof. Recently, Dr. Crawford had felt ill, perhaps with urinary problems, hardly surprising given his recent diet. He had prescribed himself tiny doses of iodide of potassium, and had kept a bottle of it by his bed.
Pryor was thirsty. He noticed a bottle of liquid nearby, and a glass next to it. Thinking it was water, he poured himself a large dollop, threw back his head, and downed it. Instantly he knew he had made a mistake. He yelped at Anderson for assistance, and Crawford was sent for. When the surgeon ran in, Pryor admitted he had just swallowed a large amount of that liquid, pointing toward it. The surgeon told him he had doubtless just poisoned himself. The Virginian begged Crawford to do something for him, “for I would not have anything happen to me in this fort for any consideration.”
Crawford hurried him down to a casemate designated as the fort’s dispensary, found a stomach pump, shoved a tube down the Virginian’s gullet, and cleared out the poor man’s belly. That night, when a crowd in Charleston gathered outside Pryor’s hotel, demanding a speech on this wonderful occasion [the surrendering of the fort], he staggered out, looking wan, and with a scratchy voice said he was too unwell to say more than that the victory was great, then disappeared quickly back into his room.
Source:
Detzer, David. “Ashes and Dust.” Allegiance: Fort Sumter, Charleston, and the Beginning of the Civil War. New York: Harcourt, 2002. 303. Print.
Further Reading:
[Robert Anderson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Anderson_(Civil_War\))
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