“They (who ever that was) deliberately misled the Confederates into believing that the properties were to be turned over to them, thereby respecting their independence, but what Anderson did instead was seen as a bait and switch con.
Anderson had no orders from his military superiors to abandon Federal property to the Confederates. The military on scene commander (Anderson) abandon Moultrie because he could not defend it with 110 men.
“Beauregard only assaulted Sumter with a portion of his forces. He had held a large part in ready reserve to deal with the warships when they attacked.”
Every gun that Beauregard possessed was pointed toward Sumter. The 6000 infantry that he had under his command would have been useless against ships steaming a couple of miles off shore.
“It was in fact the arrival of the warships that convinced him there was no more time for talk”
Nonsense. He had orders from Davis to reduce Sumter by all means at his disposal before the resupply force arrived.
He sent his last agents to the fort at 1 am in the morning to issue the final surrender ultimatum. That was refused.
He opened fire 4 hours later.
Beauregard open fire with total disregard for what ever naval force was to appear. Every gun at Moultrie, Morris and Sullivan’s Island was aimed at Sumter. Not a single gun that Beauregard had under his command was in any position to fire in “Lincoln’s attack armada” should it arrive. That was because he knew that 4 warships had little ability to change the situation at Charleston Harbor, once he obeyed Davis’s orders to fire on Fort Sumter.
Secretary of War, among others.
Also the "National Republican" newspaper, which was the Party Organ of Lincoln at the time.
Anderson had no orders from his military superiors to abandon Federal property to the Confederates.
Indeed, he had an order from Buchanan to hold these properties.
The military on scene commander (Anderson) abandon Moultrie because he could not defend it with 110 men.
He couldn't hold any of it. If he had 10,000 men he couldn't have held it. It was asinine to even attempt it.
Every gun that Beauregard possessed was pointed toward Sumter.
This is incorrect. I've read Beauregard's after action statements in which he said he deliberately held a large part of his artillery in reserve to be used upon the Warships should they attack. I might be able to find them again with a bunch of searching, but i'm not going to do it now. I'm just telling you they are out there.
Nonsense. He had orders from Davis to reduce Sumter by all means at his disposal before the resupply force arrived.
A resupply force is a contradiction. It was a "force" of eight armed ships with cannons and riflemen, and it had orders to FORCE it's way into Sumter, and to there install a larger force of men to resist further.
It was D@Mn stupid, and it was impossible for it to accomplish it's stated mission. Abner Doubleday said every ship would have been sunk. In fact, it is quite clear that Lincoln very much knew it could not possibly accomplish it's mission, (Anderson had sent maps of the Confederate strengths and armaments) and so the sending of it's command ship (Powhatan) to Florida under a British flag, was clearly a deliberate effort to insure that the Ships did not actually engage.
Let me rephrase that. It was D@mn stupid if the ships were really expected to do what they had been ordered to do. If they were intended to just sit in the water off the coast long enough to provoke the Confederates into attacking the fort, then it wasn't stupid at all. It was diabolically clever.
So which is it, Stupid or Clever? Don't say it was a "mistake." It wasn't. There is too much specificity to it to be a mistake. One does not make secret orders giving a Lieutenant command of a Naval Warship while relieving a well respected Captain.
Beauregard open fire with total disregard for what ever naval force was to appear.
So you are going to stick with this? Well I guess i'll have to go look for those reports I read. Maybe I can remember where I saw them.
But here's a question. Would it change your opinion about anything if you found out Beauregard actually did reserve batteries for the Warship attack which didn't come?
I doubt it. You've been immersed too long in what people have been telling you all these years.
"STEAMER BALTIC,
New York, April 19, 1861.SIR: I sailed from New York in this vessel Tuesday morning, the 10th instant, having dispatched one steam-tug, the Uncle Ben, the evening previous to rendezvous off Charleston. The Yankee, another chartered tug, followed us to the Hook, and I left instructions to send on the Freeborn.
We arrived off Charleston the 12th instant, at 3 a.m., and found only the Harriet Lane. Weather during the whole time a gale. At 7. a.m. the Pawnee arrived, and, according to his orders, Captain Rowan anchored twelve miles east of the light, to await the arrival of the Powhatan. I stood in with the Baltic to execute my orders by offering, in the first place, to carry provisions to Fort Sumter. Nearing the bar it was observed that war had commenced, and, therefore, the peaceful offer of provisions was void.
The Pawnee and Lane immediately anchored close to the bar, notwithstanding the heavy sea, and though neither tugs or Powhatan or Pocahontas had arrived,absence of the Powhatan’s gunboats crippled the night movement. All night and the morning of the 13th instant it blew strong, with a heavy sea. The Baltic stood off and on, looking for the Powhatan, and in running in during the thick weather struck on Rattlesnake Shoal, but soon got off. The heavy sea, and not having the sailors (three hundred) asked for, rendered any attempt from the Baltic absurd. I only felt anxious to get in a few days’ provisions to last the fort until the Powhatan’s arrival. The Pawnee and Lane were both short of men, and were only intended to afford a base of operations whilst the tugs and three hundred sailors fought their way in.
However, the Powhatan and tugs not coming, Captain Rowan seized an ice schooner and offered her to me, which I accepted, and Lieutenant Hudson, of the Army, several Navy officers, and plenty of volunteers agreed to man the vessel, and go in with me the night of the 13th. The events of that day, so glorious to Major Anderson and his command are known to you. As I anticipated, the guns from Sumter dispersed their naval preparations excepting small guard-boats, so that with the Powhatan a re-enforcement would have been easy. The Government did not anticipate that the fort was so badly constructed as the event has shown.
I learned on the 13th instant that the Powhatan was withdrawn from duty off Charleston on the 7th instant, yet I was permitted to sail on the 9th, the Pawnee on the 9th, and the Pocahontas on the 10th, without intimation that the main portion–the fighting portion–of our expedition was taken away. In justice to itself as well as an acknowledgment of my earnest efforts, I trust the Government has sufficient reasons for putting me in the position they have placed me.
I have the honor to be, your obedient servant,
G. V. FOX.
I told you that the Powhatan was the command ship, the essential ship that without it nothing would be attempted. G.V. Fox confirms what I told you.