"You are also authorized to take similar defensive steps whenever you have tangible evidence of a design to proceed to a hostile act."
What tangible evidence did Anderson have? None. As I remember, the governor had promised to stop any mob from attacking Fort Moultrie.
Besides, Floyd’s communication to Anderson was actually not clear to Anderson. From “Days of Defiance” by Maury Klein (page 152):
(page 152) ”Buell’s visit did little to ease Anderson’s anxiety. Floyd had ordered him to look the situation over and give Anderson instructions that were neither explicit nor to be considered as orders. … The ambiguities nagged at Anderson, who liked things clear and by the book. … The [Charleston] Courier’s Washington correspondent warned of Buell’s visit, “See that they make no change in the distribution of soldiers, so as to put them all in Fort Sumter; that would be dangerous to us.”(page 153) “ … steamers had begun patrolling the waters between Moultrie and Sumter on the night of the 20th. … He [Anderson] knew the Carolinians wanted to keep any federal troops from going to Sumter.”
Anderson obviously knew he did not have orders to move to Sumter. As I posted above in my post 24 from the Official Records, on December 22, Anderson practically begged Washington for orders to move his forces over to Fort Sumter:
“I think that I could, however, were I to receive instructions so to do, throw my garrison into that work [Sumter], but I should have to sacrifice the greater of my stores as it is now too late to attempt their removal.”
He received no such orders.
Now let’s look at how Washington officials reacted to the news that Anderson had moved to Fort Sumter (quotes below from “Days of Defiance”).
Trescot (Assistant Secretary of State): “I will pledge my life that if it has been done it has been without orders from Washington.”Floyd (Secretary of War): Anderson’s move “would not be only against orders but in the face of orders.”
Buchanan: “Buchanan slumped into a chair. ‘My God! … Are calamities … never to come singly! I call God to witness – you gentlemen better than anybody else that this is not only without but against my orders. It is against my policy.' ”
Floyd to Buell: “This is a very unfortunate move of Major Anderson. It has made war inevitable.”
For clear evidence, you need look no further than Homer's post #28, of Gov. Pickens' orders.
They sound ominous & threatening to me.
I'd want to be as safe as possible.
In Homer's post #27 an astute military observer notes how vulnerable Fort Moultrie is.
So why ever would Maj. Anderson delay moving out of it?