No, I think it's "Battles and Leaders of the Civil War", the four volume set that's been out for years and was a compilation of articles written by the men who actually fought there. It's available online here.
So, was Anderson basing his move on anything more than rumors and "Ha, ha, we're going to get you suckers" type of taunts and his own assessment of 'what if I were attacked here?' I think the latter.
Anderson didn't think so. In his report to Washington sent on December 27th he makes it clear that it was not a decision he reached lightly, and was made only because he was convinced that South Carolina forces were going to attack him. Link
Buchanan also said in his letter you linked to.
That is true, Buchanan never ordered Anderson to move his men. But the Secretary of War granted Anderson that authority in instructions delivered to Anderson by Major Buell: "The smallness of your force will not permit you, perhaps, to occupy more than one of the three forts, but an attack on or an attempt to take possession of any of them will be regarded as an act of hostility, and you may then put your command in either of them which you deem more proper to increase your power of resistance." Link
Anderson did not take his decision lightly. He had received reports of South Carolina militia mustering and scaling ladders being constructed. James Pettigu, a local attorney and Unionist, flatly told Anderson that Moultrie would be attacked. Had Anderson waited until an actual attack he would have been helpless. He made the only decision he could under the circumstances, and one he was authorized to make.
You: No, I think it's "Battles and Leaders of the Civil War", the four volume set that's been out for years and was a compilation of articles written by the men who actually fought there. It's available online here.
Thanks for the link. I think it is clear we are talking about the same series of books. There is now apparently a fifth and sixth volume, perhaps added in modern times. Your link says the : "Based on "The Century war series" published from Nov. 1884 to Nov. 1887 in the Century magazine and edited by Robert Underwood Johnson and Clarence Clough Buel of the editorial staff of "The Century Magazine". Tha Amazon author list I copied misplaced the name Johnson. See Link
In any event the item you were seeking the source for is not reported on page 103 of volume 1 of your link. Perhaps the modern version that is based on the old "Century" version has changed or updated the text of the old version.
That is true, Buchanan never ordered Anderson to move his men. But the Secretary of War granted Anderson that authority in instructions delivered to Anderson by Major Buell
Hmmm. I wonder about Buell. From Klein: "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 construed as orders. ... Buell decided on his own to give Anderson the written memorandum of the 11th as a guideline for what he knew to be a vague and unsatisfactory position."
By the way, the dictated response from Buchanan sent by Floyd is at Link. Also, Anderson was assured by the mayor and leading citizens of Charleston that they would prevent Moultrie from being attacked by a mob. Anderson had also arranged Moultrie that you had to enter the fort by crawling through a tunnel.