"Major Anderson had been told that in case he was attacked he was to "defend himself to the last extremity," and it seemed to James Buchanan that this was going beyond common sense. At the president's insistance, a letter over Floyd's signature was sent to Anderson. The major was not to sacrifice his own life or the lives of his men in a hopeless fight; if he was obviously overpowered, he could bow to necessity and make the best terms possible -- this would be the course of a brave and honorable officer, "and you will be fully justified in such action." Additionally, the part of Buell's memorandum which told Anersn he could occupy any fort he chose if he had reason to believe that he was going to be attacked was mildly qualified by the addition of of the word "defensive" in the description of the steps that were permitted him.
Whether anyone realized it or not, the administration had at last taken a positive step. Until now, Major Anderson had been told nothing except that he could defend himself if attacked. Now he was given full authority to move from Fort Moultrie to Fort Sumter -- not merely if he was attacked, but whenever he had tangible evidence "of a design to proceed to a hostile act." Inasmuch as tangible evidence hung of such a design hung over Charleston as thick as a winter fog, Anderson had in substance been told he could go over to Sumter whenever he thought best."
-- "The Coming Fury" pp. 148-49 by Bruce Catton
Walt
Not according to President Buchanan or Secretary of War Floyd.
an officer of the United States, acting, as we (you) are assured not only without but against your (my) orders, has dismantled one fort and occupied another, thus altering to a most important extent the condition of affairs under which we (you) came.
the officer in command of the forts has received orders to act strictly on the defensive.
It is well known that it was my determination, and this I freely expressed, not to re-enforce the forts in the harbor, and thus produce a collision, until they had been actually attacked, or until I had certain evidence that they were about to be attacked.
The world knows that I have never sent any re-enforcements to the forts in Charleston Harbor and I have certainly never authorized any change to be made "in their relative military status."
You are carefully to avoid every act which would needlessly tend to provoke aggression; and for that reason you are not, without evident and imminent necessity, to take up any position which could be construed into the assumption of a hostile attitude. But you are to hold possession of the forts in this harbor, and if attacked you are to defend yourself to the last extremity. The smallness of your force will not permit you, perhaps, to occupy more than one of the three forts, but an attack on or attempt to take possession of either one of them will be regarded as an act of hostility, and you may then put your command into either of them which you may deem most proper to increase its power of resistance. You are also authorized to take similar defensive steps whenever you have tangible evidence of a design to proceed to a hostile act.
D. C. BUELL,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
FORT MOULTRIE, S. C., December 11, 1860.
Under these circumstances it is clear that Major Anderson acted upon his own responsibility, and without authority, unless, indeed, he had "tangible evidence of a design to proceed to a hostile act" on the part of the authorities of South Carolina, which as not yet been alleged. Still, he is a brave and honorable officer, and justice requires that he should not be condemned without a fair hearing.
Be this as it may, when I learned that Major Anderson had left Fort Moultrie, and proceeded to Fort Sumter, my first prompting were to command him to return to his former position, and there await the contingencies presented in his instructions.
the officer there in command of all the forts thought proper, without instructions, to change his position from one of them to another
With the facts we have stated, and in the face of the crowning and conclusive fact that your Secretary of War had resigned his seat in the Cabinet upon the publicly-avowed ground that the action of Major Anderson had violated the pledged faith of the Government, and that unless the pledge was instantly redeemed he was dishonored, denial was impossible. You did not deny it; you do not deny it now
- South Carolina Reps to Buchanan
The news of Major Anderson's coup produced a sudden and unexpected change in the President's policy. While declaring that his withdrawal from Fort Moultrie to Fort Sumter was "without orders, and contrary to orders," he yet refused for twelve hours to take any action in the matter. For twelve hours, therefore, without any excuse, he refused to redeem his plighted word.
- South Carolina Reps to Buchanan
|Page 3|
OFFICIAL RECORDS: Series 1, vol 1, part 1, page 3
[Telegram.]
WAR DEPARTMENT,
Adjutant-General's Office, December 27, 1860.
Major ANDERSON, Fort Moultrie:
Intelligence has reached here this morning that you have abandoned Fort Moultrie, spiked your guns, burned the carriages, and gone to Fort Sumter. It is not believed, because there is no order for any such movement. Explain the meaning of this report.
J. B. FLOYD,
Secretary of War.
- Secretary of War Floyd to Anderson: You did WHAT!!???
Springfield, Ills. Dec. 24, 1860
Hon. Lyman Trumbull
My dear Sir
I expect to be able to offer Mr. Blain a place in the cabinet; but I cannot, as yet, be committed on the matter, to any extent whatever.
Dispatches have come here two days in succession, that the forts in South Carolina, will be surrendered by the order, or consent at least, of the President.
I can scarcely believe this; but if it prove true, I will, if our friends at Washington concur, announce publicly at once that they are to be retaken after the inauguration. This will give the Union men a rallying cry, and preparation will proceed somewhat on their side, as well as on the other. Yours as ever
A. Lincoln
- The Living Lincoln,Angle and Miers, p. 369.
[nc] The words of a maniac or someone who desperately seeks to provoke war.