Fascinating stuff—of course we now know that South Carolina will secede while Buchanan is still a lame duck—that lame duck period was totally crazy....
Buchanan speech of January 8, 1861:
He was trying to “kick the can down the road” for the new President to deal with...
https://millercenter.org/the-presidency/presidential-speeches/january-8-1861-message-threats-peace-and-existence-union
He was trying to “kick the can down the road” for the new President to deal with...
Actually in his January 8 speech, Buchanan was not telling the whole story. His speech mentions the December 11, 1860 orders transmitted to Anderson by Buell as though that gave permission to Anderson to move into Fort Sumter. Those December 11 orders were verbal, unauthorized, and counter to Buchanan's policy and promises to South Carolinians concerning the Charleston forts.
When Buchanan found out what Buell had told Anderson on December 11, Buchanan countermanded those orders. He had Secretary Floyd send new orders to Anderson:
WAR DEPARTMENT,
Washington, December 21, 1860.
Major ANDERSON,
First Artillery, Commanding Fort Moultrie, S. C.:
SIR: In the verbal instructions communicated to you by Major Buell, you are directed to hold possession of the forts in the harbor of Charleston, and, if, attacked, to defend yourself to the last extremity. Under these instructions, you might infer that you are required to make a vain and useless sacrifice of your own life and the lives of the men under your command upon a mere point of honor. This is far from the President's intentions. You are to exercise a sound military discretion on this subject.
It is neither expected nor desired that you should expose your own life or that of your men in a hopeless conflict in defense of these forts. If they are invested or attacked by a force so superior that resistance would, in your judgment be a useless waste of life, it will be your duty to yield to necessity and make the best terms in your power.
This will be the conduct of an honorable, brave, and humane officer, and you will be fully justified in such action. These orders are strictly confidential, and not to be communicated even to the officers under your command, without close necessity.
Very respectfully,
JOHN B. FLOYD
As the book, "Don Carlos Buell: most promising of all" by Stephen Douglas Engle says [Link, pages 61-62]:
When Anderson received the secretary's latest words of guidance, he became furious. Buell's message had allowed Anderson to decide for himself when and how to act. Now the administration was drawing back.
If Anderson thought he already had approval to move to the fort, he wouldn't have wired Washington on December 22 saying [Anderson Dec 22 letter, my emphasis below]:
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.
Although Buchanan never publically acknowledged that he promised the South Carolinians that US troops would not be moved into Fort Sumter, there is evidence after the war from two of his Union-favoring secretaries that Buchanan did promise the South Carolinians, but that if he did order Anderson back into Fort Moultrie, three of his Union-favoring secretaries would have resigned. So, publically Buchanan lied to the country.