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I noticed your knowledgeable post about Governors Island on the Free Republic website. The last U.S. Army Recruiting Officer who was stationed at Governors Island before the Civil War was Major Theophilus Hunter Holmes. After having been part of organizing the relief mission (Star of the West) that was sent from Governors Island to reinforce Fort Sumter, Holmes resigned from the U.S. army and thereafter became a Confederate general. Wikipedia says that while still in the U.S. army, Holmes secretly supplied the Confederacy with information about the relief mission, but there is no footnote connected to that entry. I’ve talked to the NPS folks at Governors Island. They are familiar with the allegation and think that it appeared in one or more NY newspapers at the time, but they can’t find any further info on the incident. Do you know anything about this or could you suggest anything? I live in South Carolina and am trying to track this down without driving to NYC. This type of treachery would be an inconsistency for Holmes, but I’m writing a biography about him and intend to let history’s chips fall where they may. Thanks, Walter Hilderman

Welcome to FreeRepublic and good luck on your book.

As I remember, I had some trouble finding that letter to Major Holmes concerning the Star of the West. I wasn't looking for him in particular. In fact, I didn't know anything about him. I think I ended up scanning the pages of the appropriate OR volume by date. Indeed, when I searched the online versions of the Official Records for his name just now, that particular January 5 communication to Holmes did not come up.

In December 1860 Buchanan apparently told Winfield Scott to send a ship loaded with troops to reinforce Sumter. Here is Scott's December 31 order to the commander of Fort Monroe in Virginia to have the Brooklyn prepared and loaded with troops for that purpose: Link.

Scott later changed the Brooklyn to the Star of the West, a ship that made a regular run to Charleston and might possibly enter the harbor without suspicion presuming its mission was kept secret.

But the mission did not stay secret. News that the North was preparing to send a ship to Sumter loaded with 200 or more troops apparently reached Charleston on Dec 31 according to Abner Doubleday. See: Link. However, that is not consistent with the story that Anderson was unaware that a ship with reinforcements was coming.

Another version was that the Charlestonians found out on January 7 that the Star was coming. See: Link.

I don't know whether Holmes transmitted information about the Star and its mission to the South Carolinians. News that the Star had been sent with reinforcements for Sumter made the front page of the New York Herald on January 9 in an article dated January 8 from Washington. The Washington article also said that the news from Charleston was that the Star would not be fired upon. The Star tried to enter the harbor on January 9. IIRC, it ignored a warning from a Confederate picket boat, ignored a warning shot or two across its bow, and finally turned around after being hit twice by shells from shore.

Here is a January 3, 1861, New York Times article that mentions the Brooklyn was likely to be sent to Sumter. Link.

Apparently there was a January 7th article in the NYT that said the Star of the West was coming. It was mentioned in E. Milby Burton's excellent book, "The Siege of Charleston, 1861-1865": Link. Burton says communications with Governor's Island were cut off to prevent leaks about the Star and its mission, but it still didn't stay secret. Burton's book says that on January 7 a telegram signed "Jones" was sent to Charleston warning that the ship was coming.

If you are in South Carolina you ought to be able to find Burton's book. I bought my copy at the government bookshop at the dock from where the tour boat leaves to go to Fort Sumter. FYI, Burton is or was the director of the Charleston Museum.

The January 7 NYT article that announced the Star might be in this collection of Jan 1861 NYT articles: NYT Articles.