Yeah, but a lot of other military officials considered it Bollocks, among them the man who would most know; Major Anderson.
I had the honor to receive by yesterday's mail the letter of the honorable Secretary of War, dated April 4, and confess that what he there states surprises me very greatly, following as it does and contradicting so positively the assurance Mr. Crawford telegraphed he was authorized to make. I trust that this matter w ill be at once put in a correct light, as a movement made now, when the South has been erroneously informed that none such will be attempted, would produce most disastrous results throughout our country.It is, of course, now too late for me to give any advice in reference to the proposed scheme of Captain Fox. I fear that its result cannot fail to be disastrous to all concerned. Even with his boat at our walls the loss of life (as I think I mentioned to Mr. Fox) in unloading her will more than pay for the good to be accomplished by the expedition, which keeps us, if I can maintain possession of this work, out of position, surrounded by strong works, which must be carried to make this fort of the least value to the United States Government.
Anderson fixes the blame for starting the war on the dishonesty of his own Government.
After the battle Kentuckian Anderson was treated as a national hero, promoted to general and given command over his home state's military region.
But in fact, Anderson was conflicted, resulting in his relief from command and transfer to a much less stressful position in Rhode Island.
So it appears to me that Anderson didn't understand, or didn't want to grasp that Fox's plan called for night-time resupply, using cover of darkness and potentially even fog.
And since Confederate General Beauregard estimated he had only 48 hours worth of ammunition, Fox's plan needed Anderson to only hold out a few more days for success.
But Anderson surrendered after just 34 hours and so Lincoln's plan to resupply Fort Sumter came to naught.
DiogenesLamp: "Anderson fixes the blame for starting the war on the dishonesty of his own Government."
Kentuckian Anderson was certainly conflicted and it rendered him ineffective as a Union officer.